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

March in Photos

Standing up for the Health and Safety of our People

I am doing everything I can to fight against Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s mass firings across HHS and all his policy attacks on our excellent public servants–including thousands of our friends and neighbors.

Critical HHS staffers have already been sacked–with devastating consequences for disease prevention, drug approvals and the vital services that Americans depend on. I led Members of Congress from the National Capital Region in a letter to demand Secretary Kennedy reverse course on these mass firings, which will harm medical research progress.

NIH Cancer Researcher as Guest to Trump’s Joint Address

Dr. Lauren McGee, an NIH cancer researcher and my constituent, was axed as a part of President Trump’s sweeping harmful policies aimed at federal workers. Last month, I was honored to bring her as my guest to the president’s Joint Address to Congress. 

Dr. McGee’s research is helping develop better treatments for children with pediatric osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Now, Dr. McGee’s colleagues have lost her critical expertise in biology as they are seeking to carry out their research. 

I will never stop working for civil servants, like Dr. McGee, so they can get back to work for the American people.

Protecting Bicyclists and Pedestrians on our Roads

It remains my honor to partner with our neighbor Daniel Langenkamp—husband of Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, a mother, wife and American diplomat who was killed while riding her bicycle in Bethesda—to reintroduce the bipartisan, bicameral Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Safety Transportation Act.

The bill expands access to federal funding opportunities for local governments to improve roadway safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. This legislation will save lives and make our roads safer for all. 

I’m grateful for the continued advocacy of Sarah’s family and call on my colleagues in Congress to join us in the fight to pass this legislation immediately and make our roads safer.

Fighting Book Bans

Together with Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), I led 24 of my House colleagues in demanding that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reverse course on an avalanche of book bans and curriculum changes he’s imposed on Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools.

Students should have the freedom to read, including books with challenging or controversial ideas. This is how they form their own opinions and learn about the world. Our nation’s military schools should be defending, not suppressing, our students’ freedom to think, read, analyze and write independently.

Defending the Civil Rights of all Students

I led my congressional colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon objecting to the Trump Administration’s decision to fire half of the workforce at ED’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and to close the regional office that was previously charged with defending the federal civil rights of Maryland students. This letter was signed by every Democratic Member of Congress from Maryland and the four other states previously served by this office.

The restoration of a student’s federal civil rights shouldn’t be reserved for wealthy families who can afford expensive lawyers. OCR provided free support to ensure every student has access to an equal education, regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.

Our Work on the Judiciary Committee

As the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, I want to provide you with a small sample of the important work we engaged in last month.

Following the Trump Administration’s detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, Judiciary Democrats called out the chilling and dangerous precedent this sets, where any person could be detained for expressing disfavored political viewpoints. House Republicans must not be silent in the face of these flagrant First Amendment violations, and the administration must reunite Mahmoud with his family immediately.

Judiciary Democrats took the Trump Administration to task for its decision to shut down the Public Integrity section at the Department of Justice. The Public Integrity Section was established after Watergate to investigate corruption at every level of government. Every cut to anti-corruption enforcement, every watchdog fired, every safeguard dismantled brings us closer to a society where white-collar criminals operate with impunity and justice is for sale.

Finally, after The Atlantic uncovered that some of the highest-ranking officials in the Trump Administration (including Vice President Vance) traded war secrets in a Signal group chat, we condemned this stunning recklessness in handling national security matters. This humiliating and dangerous breach puts our service members’ lives at risk, and responsible officials must be held accountable.

Recognizing Local Heroes of the Eighth District

In addition to Dr. Lauren McGee, my guest to President Trump’s Joint Address, we honored three phenomenal Local Heroes in March. Each makes life extraordinary in Montgomery County.

We need strong federal, state and local teamwork to protect our people from the Trump Administration’s harmful policies—and I'm honored to call Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown my partner in this project. Thanks to this Local Hero for standing in the breach to protect Marylanders.

Dr. Sarah Cooley is an acclaimed climate scientist who was unceremoniously sacked from NOAA by Trump and DOGE while conducting research to save our oceans. She is determined to use her expertise in service of the American people and our climate fight.

Tom Di Liberto is an accomplished climate scientist and analyst who was also axed from NOAA by Musk's DOGE. This MD-08 Local Hero exemplifies the dedication and creativity of thousands of federal employees.

Constituent Corner

Do you have any upcoming travel plans? Starting May 7, you will need a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or other acceptable identification to board commercial flights or access federal buildings. You can check your REAL ID status and learn more about REAL ID on the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration website. If you don’t have a REAL ID license, you can find a list of other acceptable forms of identification, including your U.S. passport here. For more information on obtaining a U.S. passport visit the State Department’s website. Safe travels!