Congressman Hoyer believes that a Member of Congress’s highest duty is to keep America safe, strengthen our national security, and protect our homeland from attack. He is a leader in Congress on national security issues, has advocated for smarter and stronger policies to step up the fight against terrorist organizations that would do us harm, and remains unwavering in his commitment to the members of our armed services. He is also a strong supporter of investing in programs that adequately equip our first responders for response to potential domestic attacks and increase protections at our ports and borders.
Congressman Hoyer has been the lead advocate for Southern Maryland’s military installations at the federal level and was instrumental in the BRAC process in preserving 9,000 jobs at Patuxent River Naval Air Station while adding over 5,000 new jobs; protecting 3,000 jobs at Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center; and securing the future of Webster Field, St. Inigoes. Hoyer has worked closely with the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, the Indian Head Defense Alliance, the Patuxent Partnership, the Chambers of Commerce and local officials working to ensure that these three military installations are protected.
Congressman Hoyer is a strong advocate for our veterans, and has worked tirelessly to ensure that America’s veterans receive the respect, care, and benefits they earned through their service to our nation. While Congressman Hoyer has strongly supported historic increases in funding for the Veterans Administration, improving the quality and efficiency of care in our nation’s VA facilities, he is also a strong proponent of accountability in how the VA spends those resources.
Congressman Hoyer worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs Baltimore Regional Office on improving the claims process for Maryland veterans to ensure they receive their benefits in a timely manner and with fewer errors. He is also dedicated to eliminating homelessness among veterans. He worked to secure funding to assist nearly 200 veteran families who are homeless or at risk for homelessness in St. Mary's, Charles, and Calvert Counties. Additionally, he joined the Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland and other stakeholders to ensure an accurate count of the homeless population in the Fifth District, which was critical to receiving additional housing vouchers for homeless veterans.
Each year on Memorial Day, we remember the courageous individuals who gave all they had to protect our nation and the values that sustain our democracy. In every generation, Americans have been called to take up arms in defense of the rights and freedoms we hold dear not only for ourselves but for others who yearn for peace, justice, and liberty around the world.
I thank Denis McDonough for visiting the Baltimore Regional Office today as part of the Administrations continued effort to end the unacceptable backlog of disability claims filed by veterans in Maryland and across the country.
I'm deeply disappointed that Department of Defense civilian employees, including 46,000 hardworking employees in Maryland, will begin receiving furlough notices in two weeks because Congress has failed to reach an agreement to replace the sequester.
The University System of Marylands proposal uses the collaborative strengths of higher education, industry, and state government to develop deployable solutions to increase the safety, efficiency, reliability, and security of our national airspace transportation networks.
I applaud St. Marys County Public Schools, the Patuxent Partnership, and NAWCAD on their commitment to preparing our students for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Since coming into effect on March 1, Americans are seeing why sequestration is not a policy we should follow or continue.
I commend the Maryland General Assembly and Governor OMalley for ensuring the enactment of this important bill, which will allow our service members, veterans, and their spouses to transfer their military training, experience, and skills into civilian certifications, licenses, or academic credits that will help them find well-paying jobs.