On March 15, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) addressed Southern Maryland’s delegates virtually about his efforts to ensure the government stays open, his current legislative priorities, Southern Maryland’s U.S. Navy facilities and tens of millions of dollars in funding for projects.
“The most important thing we’re doing immediately is making sure the government stays open, particularly the defense department,” Hoyer said last Friday. “Frankly, this has been the worst appropriations process I’ve ever seen in the 43 years I’ve been in the House of Representatives.”
Maryland’s Fifth District, which Hoyer represents, has 82,000 federal employees, according to Hoyer, who is concerned about their ability to get a paycheck if the government goes unfunded. Congress has continued to pass funding bills at the last minute or piecemeal over the last several years.
Hoyer stressed how important it is for Southern Maryland that the bases in the region stay open, as the facilities are major economic driving factors.
Talking about the priority of funding the government, Hoyer said, “That’s the most important and most immediate thing we’re working on this coming week.”
Hoyer digressed briefly from immediate issues in Southern Maryland and placed a strong emphasis on making sure Ukraine has funding before the House of Representatives leaves March 22 for a two-week district work period.
“You guys work for 90 days, but we work around the year. But we take times to come home, listen to people and town meetings,” Hoyer said. “To leave Ukraine unfunded for two weeks is inexcusable.”
Hoyer shared that St. Mary’s County received nearly $14 million for community project funding. This funding ensures that local representatives have funds to give help where help is needed, according to the congressman.
Projects are vetted by local representatives to ensure they are worthwhile.
“You cannot fund a private project,” Hoyer said. “These are largely state, government, public and nonprofit.”
Charles County also received $4.5 million of community project funding, Calvert County received $2.35 million.
“We’ve prevented the Navy from removing our one-star admiral,” Hoyer said. “Because we have a one-star admiral onboard, it gives us a status in the Navy, in the decision making. That is very important to protect the assets that we have in Southern Maryland.”
Hoyer said he was pleased with developments within Indian Head’s Naval Support Facility, despite almost losing the facility around 20 years ago.
“Indian Head remains a very strong, viable base,” Hoyer said.
Hoyer praised Indian Head’s mayor, Brandon Paulin, who became the youngest mayor in Maryland’s history at 19 years old, saying that he has been doing a good job keeping the town in good shape.
Despite not being in Southern Maryland, Hoyer said that the FBI moving headquarters to Prince George’s County is a huge win for the district and will have an impact on the area.
“That will be 8,000 people,” Hoyer said. “It will have an effect on Southern Maryland, in terms of people who want to come and live in Southern Maryland as opposed to some place else, because the facility is located here.”
On Tuesday, Hoyer attended the Charles County Chamber of Commerce’s Military Alliance Council board meeting and luncheon in Indian Head where he met with community and business leaders. The group discussed how Congress can continue to partner with local stakeholders to support the work of Southern Maryland’s national security industry.
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