Maryland Congressional Delegation Urges Governor Hogan to Reconsider Surprise Decision to Cut Off Federal Unemployment Assistance Early
U.S. Senators Chris Van
Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John
Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.)
issued the following response to Governor Larry Hogan’s sudden announcement
Tuesday that Maryland will stop issuing federally funded Enhanced Pandemic
Unemployment Benefits earlier than required.
“Unemployment benefits are
helping more than 300,000 Marylanders make ends meet as our unemployment rate
remains above its pre-pandemic level. Governor Hogan’s abrupt decision to cut
off federal assistance on July 3 will strip critical aid from a majority of
recipients a full two months earlier than necessary, making it harder for
thousands of Marylanders to put food on the table and keep roofs over their
heads as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re already
hearing from constituents whose family finances will be thrown into crisis by
this action. Rather than taking a measured, phased-in approach, similar to what
President Biden supported earlier this month, the governor unnecessarily bowed
to partisan pressure and ignored the needs of struggling workers and families.
We urge the governor to reconsider this decision, which will cost our state
money in the long run – and wastes federal resources we fought hard to secure.
Marylanders are anxious to get back to work, but this pandemic is not over and many
unemployed Marylanders are still suffering.”