He says a federal government shutdown could endanger ‘earmarks’ for local governments.
US Senator Chris Van Hollen
Frederick, Md (KM) US Senator Chris Van Hollen dropped in on the Frederick County Legislative Delegation meeting last Friday. He told state legislators that he and other members of the US Senate are working hard to avoid a federal government shutdown.
“Our fiscal year began on October 1st, and we are still operating under continuing resolutions,” he said. “I mention this because the current continuing resolutions expire on March 1st for four federal agencies, and March 8th for the remainder of the federal government.”
Van Hollen said any shutdown could put federal “earmark” money coming to jurisdictions such as Frederick County in danger. “If we go to a continuing resolution, the approximately $14 million, $15 million or more earmarks that we got for Frederick County and other western Maryland counties will disappear,”: he said,.
Senator Van Hollen cited one examples. “Last year, we were successful in getting about $14 million for different projects in Frederick. For example, the Liberty Road Bridge Crossing, and the Frederick and Pennsylvania Railroad Trail. There are a whole bunch of them. Those are just one example,” he said.
Van Hollen says he is working with other Senators to prevent a shutdown for occurring. “I serve on the Appropriations Committee. We’re working hard to get an agreement to prevent any kind of shutdown,” he said. “But obviously, that impacts everyone in the country, but especially Maryland given our large presence of federal agencies and federal employees,”: he says.
Despite all the talk about partisan rancor and discord in Congress, Senator Van Hollen says a large number of bills are passed with bipartisan support. He cited the American Rescue Plan Act as an example.
By Kevin McManus