Dear Neighbor:

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

As always, I encourage all of my constituents across the Eighth District to connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 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,

Jamie Raskin

Celebrating the 4th of July

The legendary Takoma Park 4th of July Parade is a beautiful mosaic of some of the exuberant, eclectic diversity of Maryland’s Eighth District. This Independence Day, I recognized the parade itself as our Local Hero! In our segment, the event was well-represented by its organizers—President Gene Herman and Vice President Tara Egan—who devote their time and public spirit to this time-honored local tradition. You can watch my Local Hero segment honoring the Takoma Park 4th of July Parade here.

Spreading the Word About the New 988 Crisis Hotline

July marked the launch of 988, a new nationwide suicide and crisis lifeline to support our people. Thanks to this free confidential resource, help during a mental health crisis is only a call, text or chat away. To reach the hotline, simply dial or text 9-8-8, or use the 988 online chat feature at this link.

988 is a crucial upgrade to our nation’s mental health care infrastructure. To ensure its continual success, it’s essential that we support our partners on the ground, including our local crisis call centers. In March, I joined Representative Tony Cárdenas of California in introducing H.R. 7116, the 9–8–8 Implementation Act, to devote federal resources and guidance to state and local mental health response efforts. You can read more about the 988 Implementation Act here.

Protecting Abortion Access and Reproductive Freedom

After the Supreme Court issued a devastating ruling revoking the right to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, my colleagues and I swiftly introduced a resolution affirming the ironclad right to domestic travel—including to access reproductive health care services. I’m proud that our bill, H.R. 8297, the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, passed the House in July. You can read more about the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act here.

I also joined my fellow House Democrats in reaffirming our support for reproductive rights and passing H.R. 8296, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022, to anchor the right to abortion care in federal law. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to protect reproductive rights and bodily autonomy and take up both bills immediately. 

I went live on Facebook on the steps of the Capitol after my House Democratic colleagues and I passed these bills, and you can tune in here if you missed it!

House Democrats have all hands on deck defending abortion rights after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Assaults on reproductive rights and privacy are well underway in many states, with extremist lawmakers proposing increasingly restrictive legislation. At least thirteen state “trigger ban” laws made abortion illegal immediately following the Supreme Court ruling or shortly thereafter. In a House Oversight Committee hearing last month, I discussed how these policies are egregiously out of step with the beliefs of Americans across the political spectrum—including Democrats, Independents and Republicans. You can watch some of my remarks in the House Oversight Committee here.

In July, the House Judiciary Committee also held a hearing on the national fallout from the Dobbs decision, and I noted that this escalating anti-choice position represents an extreme transformation within the conservative movement. You can watch some of my remarks from that House Judiciary hearing here.

I’m concerned that the Supreme Court’s rollback of abortion rights now puts other essential reproductive freedoms in jeopardy. That’s why I cosponsored and voted for H.R. 8373, the Right to Contraception Act, which will codify in federal law the right to access birth control without political interference. You can read more about the Right to Contraception Act here.

On the Floor and in Committee: Protecting Marriage Equality, Kickstarting American Semiconductor Production, Cracking Down on Assault Weapons and Much More

July was busy in the House! Not only did I vote to protect abortion and contraception access, I also voted to create an active shooter alert system similar to AMBER alerts, provide health care coverage to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, preserve marriage equality, kickstart our semiconductor production, crack down on the proliferation of assault weapons and much more.

In the Dobbs ruling revoking abortion rights, Justice Thomas called on the Court to overturn landmark cases for LGBTQ+ equality, including Obergefell v. Hodges, which in 2015 affirmed the right of same-sex couples to marry. Congress can’t stand idly by as a regressive and increasingly theocratic ideology takes over the Supreme Court. In response, I proudly cosponsored and voted in favor of H.R. 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act, which would formally repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and protect same-sex marriage under federal law. You can read more about the Respect for Marriage Act here.

The House also passed the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 this past month with wide bipartisan support. This bill will supercharge our semiconductor production, making American industry less vulnerable to global supply chain disruption, creating jobs and lowering costs for families. You can read more about the CHIPS and Science Act here. I’m delighted to share that on August 9, President Biden signed the bill into law!

In July, as our nation attempts to heal from continuing gun violence catastrophes, I cosponsored and voted for H.R. 1808, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022. This bill, which would prohibit the sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons and high capacity magazines, is an essential step towards ending our nation’s gun violence crisis with commonsense solutions. I spoke in favor of the bill in a House Judiciary Committee markup this past month, and you can watch my remarks here.

I'm thrilled to report that in July, the House Committee on Education and Labor voted to advance my "bi-paw-tisan" BARK Act as part of the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids legislation! My bill responds to national pet food donation shortages by removing bureaucratic disincentives currently discouraging pet food donation. The BARK Act will give pet stores the same protections that grocery stores and markets already have when donating to food banks, and it's now closer than ever to becoming law! You can read more about my BARK Act here.

Last month, the Committee on House Administration held a hearing on the so-called “independent state legislature theory.” With election denialism overtaking the GOP, this once-fringe idea is gaining traction and will be argued in a case before the Supreme Court this fall. In my remarks in the House Administration hearing, I contextualized this radical theory within a broader campaign to undermine our democratic institutions and electoral integrity. I encourage you to read more about the dubious “independent state legislature” theory in this report from the Brennan Center. You can also watch my exchange with Eliza Sweren-Becker of the Brennan Center from the Committee on House Administration hearing here.

Recognizing the Local Heroes of the Eighth District

I’ve long admired Mike Tidwell of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network for his visionary climate advocacy and work preserving the natural ecology of the National Capital region. In the wake of a disappointing climate ruling from the Supreme Court, Mike and I discussed the work ahead to protect our people and planet. You may watch my full conversation with Mike here.

In July, I also featured rising high school senior Arvin Kim of Walt Whitman High School as a Local Hero. As the new Student Member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, Arvin works to support mental health in our schools and promote diversity, equity and inclusion, representing thousands of MCPS students. You can watch my full conversation with Arvin here.

Maryland’s Eighth District boasts impressive and accessible public parks and recreation, and in Montgomery County, Parks Director Mike Riley and his team work to preserve our local parkland and provide engaging community programming. Mike’s creative leadership and expert trail recommendations made for an illuminating Local Hero conversation. You may watch my full discussion with Mike Riley here.

Every year, “National Night Out” brings neighborhoods and law enforcement together to celebrate community and foster trust. I was delighted to feature as Local Heroes Rev. Dr. Bellamy of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Rockville and Corporal Crowe of the Rockville City Police Department, who led one of many Eighth District celebrations. You can watch my full conversation with Rev. Dr. Bellamy and Corporal Crowe here.

Investigating the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol

In July, the January 6th Select Committee continued our investigation into the domestic violent assault on our Capitol and our democracy in 2021. I was particularly impressed by witness Cassidy Hutchinson, who worked closely with Donald Trump as a top aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Cassidy displayed remarkable courage and character testifying before our committee. You can watch a portion of her testimony here, and my thoughts on her revelations here.

Last month, I led a Select Committee hearing with my colleague, Representative Stephanie Murphy of Florida, in which we chronicled Donald Trump’s desperate attempts to cling to power after losing the November 2020 election. We explored how far-right, domestic violent extremist groups helped organize and execute the January 6th assault at the Capitol—and how they were convened and incited by then-President Trump. You can read more about my efforts to investigate and confront the rising threat of domestic extremism and violent white supremacy here.

The January 6th Committee hearings have brought us to a profound moment of reckoning for America. What will we do to fortify our democracy against coups, insurrections and future political violence? As I said in my closing remarks at my hearing with Rep. Murphy, American democracy is a precious inheritance, something rare in the history of the world and even on earth today. Constitutional democracy is the silver frame, as Abraham Lincoln put it, upon which the golden apple of freedom rests. You can watch my closing remarks from the hearing on domestic violent extremism on January 6th here and read them here.

Encouraging Vegetarian Options in Federal Facilities

More and more Americans are interested in vegetarian options—especially younger Americans, who are seeking healthier choices that also reduce their carbon footprint. That’s why I led 31 of my colleagues last month in a letter to President Biden urging our federal facilities, from cafeterias in federal agencies and military bases to museums and national parks, to provide vegetarian options to diners. The letter precedes the upcoming White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health to be hosted this September, where the Biden Administration will convene public and private sector leaders to chart out a national plan on ending hunger, improving nutrition and encouraging physical activity. You can find the full letter and read more about my efforts to provide meatless options at federal facilities here.