Environment
Growing up, I was taught that you should always try to leave a place better than the way you found it – and that's my philosophy when it comes to the environment. The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure that must be preserved for future generations to enjoy. My kids swim in it, our family catches crabs and rockfish out of it, and its economic impact on the Maryland's First Congressional District is immeasurable.
Watermen, oystermen, crabbers, farmers, hunters, restaurants, and the tourism industry depend on a healthy, clean Chesapeake Bay for their livelihood. I am committed to commonsense, multi-state solutions that protect the Bay and its precious waterways. In order to make meaningful progress, we need to make sure that all of the stakeholders have a seat at the table, and that everyone has a voice in repairing our beautiful estuary. If we don't receive "buy-in" from all active partners, we can never achieve the goal of a robust environment that our children will be able to appreciate. This does mean that other upstream states whose waters flow into the Bay must also do their part, and the federal government is a logical choice to make sure that happens.