2023 End of Year Report

ANNUAL

REPORT

2023

INTRODUCTION

In 2023, Congressman Ruppersberger and his

colleagues set out to continue the historic

productivity achieved in the previous

legislative year. Despite political roadblocks at

every corner under the new Republican

majority, Congressman Ruppersberger

remained committed to finding bipartisan

solutions and maintaining regular order, from

passing responsible budget bills and

addressing crime and immigration, to ensuring

our national security at a time of great global

upheaval.

In years like 2023 which was marked by

extreme inefficiency (when the Republican

majority ousted their own Speaker of the

House and took three weeks and four more

nominees to replace him), success is difficult

to quantify with traditional metrics. But that’s

not for lack of trying! Congressman

Ruppersberger cast 706 votes with a 97.5

percent vote attendance record, introducing

eight original bills and cosponsoring 237 .

Congressman Ruppersberger continued his crusade to reimburse victims of food stamp (SNAP) theft and

introduced legislation to prevent the increasingly prevalent crime from occurring in the first place. He

submitted 14 requests for community project funding for local initiatives and leveraged his role as a senior

Appropriator to prioritize federal funding for Maryland and the District.

With most legislation stalled amid partisan squabbles, Congressman Ruppersberger doubled down on his

efforts to provide the same first-rate service his constituents have come to expect and deserve, helping

seniors navigate Social Security and Medicare, veterans access their benefits, families facing foreclosure

and eviction and even travelers needing assistance with passport issues. In fact, 2023 was a banner year for

passport-related requests, with about 500 new passports issued with the help of his office.

In all, Congressman Ruppersberger’s team opened nearly 2,000 cases, responded to over 43,000 calls,

emails and letters and returned $1,621,762 in federal tax dollars to Second District constituents.

Congressman Ruppersberger also focused on meeting the new constituents in his recently redrawn district,

including Carroll County residents.

Through it all, Congressman Ruppersberger maintained his trademark common sense approach, attempting

to work across the aisle to deliver results for his constituents, his state and his country.

PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL

CONSTITUENT SERVICE

Congressman Ruppersberger got into politics for one reason – to

help people – and has always prided himself on his constituent

service operation. He believes his casework team is among the best

in the nation. While Congressman Ruppersberger worked tirelessly

with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to keep our

government functioning amidst the constant threat of a shutdown

and global instability, Team Dutch continued to conduct the day-to-

day business of helping seniors navigate Social Security and

Medicare, connecting veterans to their benefits, ensuring travelers

received their passports before vacations and much more.

CONGRESSMAN C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER 2023

Immigration

15.7%

Postal Issues

15%

Passports

42.2%

Social Security

27.1%

BY THE

NUMBERS

Number of cases

opened on behalf

of constituents

Responses to

constituent

emails, letters

and phone

calls

Percent of cases

closed with a

favorable

outcome

Tax dollars recovered for

Second District constituents

Passport Assistance

top casework area

1,994

43,723

TOP

CASEWORK

AREAS

$1,621,762

“Holy mackerel!! There is no way this would have

come to such a quick resolution without your

support and inquiry into this matter. Thank you so

very much! This was the first time ever writing to

my Congressman and receiving help from his

wonderful staff.”

-Erin

Westminster, Maryland

This year brought an unprecedented demand

for passports as travel picked up following the

height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first

half of the year, the State Department

received an average of 500,000 passport

applications every week. Between October

2022 and September 2023 (one federal fiscal

year), it issued more than 24 million passports

– the most in U.S. history.

Congressman Ruppersberger’s office received

hundreds of inquiries this year to assist

constituents in getting their passports before

vacations, honeymoons, study abroad

programs and more. In working with the

passport agencies, over 500 passports were

issued with the help of Congressman

Ruppersberger’s staff.

CONGRESSMAN C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER 2023

CASEWORK SPOTLIGHT:

PASSPORTSCONSTITUENT

SERVICE

154

Passports issued with the help of

Congressman Ruppersberger’s office

in 2022

535

Passports issued with the help of

Congressman Ruppersberger’s office

in 2023

George Pleasant-Jones, Community Affairs Liaison,

handles Passport, State Department and Immigration casework for

Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, among other responsibilities.

247

Year over year percent increase

INVESTING IN

OUR

COMMUNITIES

ACT

Restores tax-exempt advance refunding

for municipal bonds so state and local

governments can more efficiently invest

in projects like roads, schools and

hospitals. It’s a comprehensive bill that

has a simple result: saving tax dollars.

PATIENTS’ RIGHT

TO KNOW THEIR

MEDICATION ACT

OF 2023

Ensures that rural Americans

and seniors have access to

important information about

their prescription medications.

FAIRNESS FOR

VICTIMS OF SNAP

SKIMMING ACT

OF 2023

EHLERS-DANLOS

SYNDROME

AWARENESS

MONTH

Allows state SNAP agencies to

reimburse SNAP recipients

whose benefits are stolen

through card skimming or

identity theft.

Designates the month of May as Ehlers-

Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Awareness Month.

This bill was inspired by a longtime Team

Dutch employee who suffers from this

potentially-fatal, genetic disease that has

few treatment options and no cure.

FIGHTER FORCE

PRESERVATION AND

RECAPITALIZATION

ACT

Prevents the closure of Air National Guard

fighter squadrons during a critical shortage of

pilot and maintenance personnel. This bill

responds to plans to end the flying mission of

the 175th Wing of the Maryland Air National

Guard as the Air Force retires the A10 planes

currently based there.

Establishes a federal grant program to create

or expand hospital-based violence intervention

or prevention programs, which have proven to

reduce re-incarceration and hospital re-

admittance rates. This bill was inspired by the

success of such a program at the University of

Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

BIPARTISAN

SOLUTION TO

CYCLICAL

VIOLENCE ACT

AVIATION

SECURITY

CHECKPOINT

TECHNOLOGY FUND

ACT OF 2023

Establishes a designated fund,

using existing government

revenues, to strengthen security at

passenger checkpoints in airports.

CHESAPEAKE

NATIONAL

RECREATION

AREA

Consolidates park areas and iconic Bay

properties under the operation of the National

Park Service to provide new federal resources

for conservation, foster equitable access to

the Bay and spur economic growth in the

watershed region.

CONGRESSMAN C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER 2023

Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger spent much of his time in Washington, working with

colleagues from both sides of the aisle to get results for Maryland and the nation. Legislative

work this year was dominated by national security, support for Ukraine and Israel and related

humanitarian needs, as well as the constant undertaking to rebuild the economy following the

height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Congressman Ruppersberger proudly introduced and co-

introduced eight bipartisan bills.

FIGHTING FOR THE DISTRICT ON

CAPITOL HILL

Cosponsored billsBills introduced or co-introduced

144

Bipartisan cosponsored bills

BILLS INTRODUCED OR

CO-INTRODUCED

BILLS COSPONSORED

237

BIPARTISAN BILLS

COSPONSORED

144

VOTES CAST

706

VOTE ATTENDANCE

RECORD

97.5

by the numbers

CONGRESSMAN C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER 2023

Congressman Ruppersberger believes the

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is

critical to millions of struggling American families. In

fact, more than 650,000 Marylanders rely on their

monthly SNAP benefits.

In addition to consistently supporting funding for

expanded benefits and eligibility, Congressman

Ruppersberger has become a national voice in the fight

against the increasingly-pervasive crime of SNAP

benefits theft, in which criminals steal benefits

distributed on electronic debit cards using identity

theft and skimming devices.

Congressman Ruppersberger authored legislation

allowing states to use federal funds to reimburse the

victims of SNAP theft – often seniors, disabled

individuals, veterans and struggling families – who are

left without grocery money through no fault of their

own. The legislation was included in a consolidated

funding bill that passed at the end of 2022 and 2023

saw it take effect. In fact, Maryland became the first

state in the country to submit its reimbursement plan

to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for approval in

February with benefit replacement beginning in March.

In all, Maryland approved more than 18,600 claims for

stolen benefits and reimbursed nearly $9 million.

The law enabling states to use federal funds to

reimburse victims will expire and so Ruppersberger

continues to pursue a permanent solution to the

problem. He introduced the bipartisan SNAP Theft

Protection Act of 2023, which provides for the

reissuance of stolen benefits indefinitely and directs

the USDA to review evolving technology to better

secure electronic benefits cards and help prevent this

crime in the first place.

POLICY SPOTLIGHT:

FOOD STAMP THEFT

18,600

Claims for stolen benefits approved

by the State of Maryland in 2023

$9M

Total value of stolen benefits

reimbursed to SNAP theft victims by

the State of Maryland using federal

funds

Top

Bipartisan

Infrastructure

Bill Wins for

Maryland

for Broadband

Equity, Access

and Deployment

for Clean Water

Infrastructure

in Energy

Assistance for

Low-Income

Families

for Statewide

Road Safety

Programs

$267 MILLION

$43 MILLION

$74 MILLION

$240 MILLION

$38 MILLION

for BWI Airport

$25 MILLION

for Maryland-

National Capital

Trail Network

CONGRESSMAN C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER 2023

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE

FUNDS FLOW TO THE DISTRICT

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs

Act, also known as the Bipartisan

Infrastructure Law, authorized an historic

$1.2 trillion for infrastructure projects

across the country. Passed in 2021, it is

now helping to rebuild roads and bridges,

replace lead pipes, help provide high-

speed internet to every family in America,

deliver cheaper and cleaner energy to

households and businesses, and produce

concrete results that change people’s lives

for the better.

In 2023, we continued to see an infusion

of federal funds in local projects.

For example. the 150-year-old Baltimore

and Potomac Tunnel, which is currently

one of the largest rail bottlenecks on the

Northeast Corridor, will be replaced with

funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure

Law. The construction of the new

Frederick Douglass Tunnel will generate

30,000 jobs and improve reliability, safety,

and commute times.

The Baltimore Washington International

Airport was also selected in 2023 to

receive $38 million to fund repairs and

upgrade concourses.

CONGRESSMAN C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER

2023

SECURING MARYLAND‘S

SHARE OF THE PIE

Congressman Ruppersberger continues to serve on the powerful House Appropriations

Committee, which is responsible for allocating hundreds of millions of federal dollars

each year. He sits on the Defense and the Commerce, Justice, and Science

subcommittees.

Congressman Ruppersberger works hard to leverage his role as an Appropriator to

ensure Maryland and the Second District gets it fair share of the pie. While the House

did not pass any spending bills in 2023 -- nearly resulting in a government shutdown --

Congressman Ruppersberger submitted requests for 14 community projects. In March

of 2024, funding for 13 of the requested projects passed.

APPROPRIATIONS

SPOTLIGHT: REDEVELOPING

THE PIKESVILLE ARMORY

Built in 1903, the Pikesville Armory is the second

oldest armory in Maryland and was added to the

National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This

campus of remarkable architecture, landscaping,

and historical importance was decommissioned in

2016.

An Appropriator, Congressman Ruppersberger

requested $10 million on behalf of the Pikesville

Armory Foundation, which is executing a massive

renovation and restoration of the Armory. He

successfully secured $850,000 for the project and

enjoyed attending its groundbreaking.

Plans include a garden, recreational facilities,

walking paths, an auditorium, public art, a culinary

arts program for local students and space for use

by groups including the Boys & Girls Clubs, the

Greater Pikesville Rec Council and several veterans

groups. Events featuring music, film, food, art, and

the local farmers market will celebrate culture and

reflect the diversity of the area. Branches of the

Library and Senior Center will be housed in the

main Armory building. The redevelopment will be

transformative for the entire northwest Baltimore

region by making valuable assets publicly available

to the community.

CONGRESSMAN C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER 2023

$500,000 FOR THE CARROLL COUNTY

SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO CONSTRUCT A

DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL FORENSIC LAB

$1,000,000 FOR LOYOLA UNIVERSITY TO

RENOVATE ITS YORK ROAD COMMUNITY

HUB

$963,000 TO PURCHASE SEMICONDUCTOR

EQUIPMENT FOR A MICROELECTRONICS

CENTER AT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

$738,000 FOR A SCHOOL-BASED VIOLENCE

PREVENTION PROGRAM IN BALTIMORE CITY

$963,000 FOR THE TOWSON UNIVERSITY

POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PURCHASE

EQUIPMENT TO IMPROVE CAMPUS SAFETY

$963,000 TO SUPPORT MEDSTAR’S YOUTH

VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM

$1,432,673 TO HELP TRANSFORM A

VACANT HIGH SCHOOL IN WESTMINSTER

INTO A BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

$500,000 TO RECONSTRUCT ADA-

NONCOMPLIANT SIDEWALK AND CURB

RAMPS IN BALTIMORE CITY

$1,666,279 TO HELP BALTIMORE COUNTY

ACQUIRE PROPERTY IN BOWLEYS

QUARTERS FOR A PUBLIC

WATERFRONT PARK

$850,000 FOR THE PIKESVILLE ARMORY

REDEVELOPMENT

$47,350 FOR THE ROLAND PARK

COMMUNITY CENTER TO PURCHASE AN

HVAC SYSTEM

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING

SECURED FOR MD02

$750,000 FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY TO

EXPAND ITS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS BED

CAPACITY

$850,000 TO HELP SHEPPARD PRATT

BUILD VETERANS HOUSING IN BALTIMORE

COUNTY’S ROSEDALE

Ruppersberger.house.gov

DC Office

2206 Rayburn Building

Washington, DC 20515

202-225-3061 Phone

202-225-3094 Fax

District Office

375 W. Padonia Road, Suite 200

Timonium, MD 21093

410-628-2701 Phone

410-628-2708 Fax

@Call_Me_Dutch