In The News
epublicans in Congress are still refusing to get behind any major gun regulations thus far, but Democrats are working to unify their efforts. The opposition party has decided to pull together in support of one highly popular reform -- mandatory background checks on private gun sales -- instead of demanding for a larger package of measures all at once... “It’s easy to be cynical, with all the times that nothing has been done on the issue,” Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., told Salon. “But the activism of the students is something that is really different this time.” ... Gun safety advocates may also be helped by the fact that Democratic voters are much more energized than in years past, largely in united opposition to Trump.
With each passing day, it seems, there is a new report of how one Trump appointee or another is disregarding the basic norms and guidelines that have always governed public officials.... The House Democracy Reform Task Force has been tracking these conflicts of interest, ethical abuses and special-interest backroom deals within the Trump White House and throughout his administration. In just 400 days of the Trump Presidency, we’ve found more than 400 ways that the president has flooded the swamp.... To make matters worse, the Republican leadership in Congress is missing in action when it comes to proper oversight of the administration. Our founders envisioned that the Congress would act as a check on the executive branch, not acquiesce in it excesses. It’s time to hold this Congress and this administration accountable for their conduct. Americans deserve a better deal for our democracy.
That’s the view of Rep. John Sarbanes, a Maryland Democrat who has gone PAC-free for seven years and is the lead sponsor of a bill (HR 20) to expand taxpayer matching funds. He says the increase in the pledges shows that the public is forcing action on the issue.... Members of Congress who are well known, with nationwide networks of donors, will have no trouble raising money without corporate PACs. And most challengers to incumbents couldn’t hope to attract significant corporate PAC support anyway.... But rank-and-file members, in both parties, rely on corporate PAC money and will need a new cash flow.... “If you’re going to expect members of Congress to move away from PACs and special interests, given the costs of campaigns these days, you’ve got to offer them somewhere else to go or it’s really unfair,” Sarbanes says. “That’s why my crusade is all about creating a system of small donors and matching public financing for congressional races.”
The EPA’s action was also praised by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-MD, who is co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Task Force in Congress.... “Administrator Pruitt’s reversal on Bay Journal grant funding is a heartening decision for the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed,” Sarbanes said. “Marylanders depend on the Bay Journal for timely and accurate information about the health of our region’s economic driver and environmental treasure, and we’ll always fight to protect the Bay from senseless politicization and partisan attacks.”
Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes knows there isn't much Democrats are able to do regarding President Donald Trump's and his administration's conflicts and ethical snafus.... It's why Sarbanes, as chair of the Democracy Reform Task Force, a group of House Democrats seeking to "confront the Trump Administration's conflicts of interest and ethical lapses," has published a list of 100 such conflicts or lapses from the administration every 100 days of its existence.... On Monday, Sarbanes published the fourth edition of his report, which highlighted such possible conflicts as Donald Trump Jr.'s recent trip to India to promote a Trump hotel, the Trump Organization moving forward on a Dominican project, and foreign governments doing favors for Trump businesses.... But that report is peanuts compared to what Democrats would do if they could retake Congress. Sarbanes said Democratic lawmakers would seek to codify ethical norms into law if they are able to regain control of Congress.
The League of Conservation Voters issued its annual congressional scorecard on Tuesday, and both Maryland senators — Benjamin L. Cardin (D) and Christopher Van Hollen (D) — received perfect scores.... Five of the state’s Democratic House members — Reps. Anthony G. Brown, John K. Delaney, Jamie Raskin, John Sarbanes and C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger — also got 100 percent on the LCV scorecard. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D), the House minority whip, got a 97 percent score.
Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland, who chairs the Democracy Reform Task Force, told Business Insider that the Trump Organization essentially gave a "head fake" about the donations.... "They want the first part of your statement to be the lead and give people some idea that they're doing good things," he said. "But then when you just pick a little bit below the surface and try to chase down whether it's real or not real, it's like catching smoke."
Alexandra Sowa’s commentary, “Treat gun violence like the public health epidemic it is and lift research ban” (Feb. 22), is absolutely right to call for more scientific analysis and research on gun violence.This public health epidemic — which claims the lives of tens of thousands of Americans every single year — deserves the same kind of serious, rigorous and comprehensive study afforded to any other public health crisis.... For this reason, I recently pressed U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to direct his agency to conduct serious research on gun violence and public safety. I also joined all House Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats in demanding that Chairman Greg Walden, an Oregon Republican, hold a hearing on gun violence prevention research as soon as possible.... It's not enough to send thoughts and prayers to the grieving families of gun violence. As members of Congress, we should be sending them laws that create evidence-based, commonsense gun safety measures to reduce firearm deaths and injuries in our country.... For too long, the gun lobby has profited handsomely at the expense of public health. It’s time to end this dangerous trend. Let’s do the prevention research, end the epidemic of gun violence and make our schools and our communities safer.
"The president's budget proposal to significantly cut the SNAP program would have a devastating impact on Maryland," said Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Towson. "One in eight Marylanders relies on the SNAP program, and gutting it would threaten the nutrition and food security of more than 744,000 Maryland residents—including many children and the elderly." ... "The president's proposal to create a government-controlled food delivery program for SNAP participants would not only create a logistical nightmare for the USDA, but also ignore the health and nutritional needs of program recipients," Sarbanes said, referencing the lack of fresh food in the prepackaged boxes.