Sarah Elfreth
Representative for Maryland · Democratic · United States
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)] [House] [Page H4698] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING JEFFERSON HOLLAND (Ms.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)] [House] [Page H4698] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING JEFFERSON HOLLAND (Ms.”
“Leading up to America's 250th anniversary, Jeff spearheaded Poets Afloat, a unique celebration featuring original poetry by locals, inspired by the rich history, characters, and spirit of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Mr.”
“Leading up to America's 250th anniversary, Jeff spearheaded Poets Afloat, a unique celebration featuring original poetry by locals, inspired by the rich history, characters, and spirit of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Mr.”
“Not only do these programs save lives, but it is also one of the best investments that this Federal Government can make in this country, matching State and local funding. These projects in the long-term save $6 for every $1 in upfront spending.”
“Not only do these programs save lives, but it is also one of the best investments that this Federal Government can make in this country, matching State and local funding. These projects in the long-term save $6 for every $1 in upfront spending.”
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“Leading up to America's 250th anniversary, Jeff spearheaded Poets Afloat, a unique celebration featuring original poetry by locals, inspired by the rich history, characters, and spirit of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Mr. Speaker, I will leave you with Jeff's own words that capture Annapolis' role in Nation's history--words I couldn't put to paper but words I hope this entire Chamber can take to heart: Let Annapolis show the world how democracy is done with justice, not with vengeance; with the truth, not outright lies; with good sense and consensus. ____________________”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)] [House] [Page H4698] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING JEFFERSON HOLLAND (Ms. ELFRETH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a friend, Jefferson Holland, poet laureate of Annapolis and a modern-day Chesapeake troubadour. Anyone fortunate enough to know Jeff knows that he is a pillar of our community who has dedicated his life to capturing and sharing the essence of the Chesapeake Bay through song, story, and poetry.”
“Leading up to America's 250th anniversary, Jeff spearheaded Poets Afloat, a unique celebration featuring original poetry by locals, inspired by the rich history, characters, and spirit of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Mr. Speaker, I will leave you with Jeff's own words that capture Annapolis' role in Nation's history--words I couldn't put to paper but words I hope this entire Chamber can take to heart: Let Annapolis show the world how democracy is done with justice, not with vengeance; with the truth, not outright lies; with good sense and consensus. ____________________”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)] [House] [Page H4698] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING JEFFERSON HOLLAND (Ms. ELFRETH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a friend, Jefferson Holland, poet laureate of Annapolis and a modern-day Chesapeake troubadour. Anyone fortunate enough to know Jeff knows that he is a pillar of our community who has dedicated his life to capturing and sharing the essence of the Chesapeake Bay through song, story, and poetry.”
“That is why I will continue to fight for the reinstatement of these funds for Crisfield, for Maryland, and for every community affected by flooding across this country. ____________________”
“Not only do these programs save lives, but it is also one of the best investments that this Federal Government can make in this country, matching State and local funding. These projects in the long-term save $6 for every $1 in upfront spending. Yet, on this Earth Day, and just before we are about to enter hurricane season, instead of protecting our communities from sea level rise, the Trump administration ended this program. When we talk about government cuts to environmental programs, I will caution that rising seas don't care who is in the White House. The water doesn't care how a small town that experiences 90 days of flooding or more a year voted in the last election. Flooding will continue to devastate communities, even if the President does not believe in climate change.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 72 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025)] [House] [Page H1741] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CUTS TO FEMA BRIC GRANTS (Ms. ELFRETH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to this administration's devastating cuts to FEMA's BRIC program, otherwise known as the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grants. Towns like Crisfield in Maryland, Baltimore, and dozens of communities across this Nation, rely on this funding to ward off the very real and very devastating effects of flooding.”
“That is why I will continue to fight for the reinstatement of these funds for Crisfield, for Maryland, and for every community affected by flooding across this country. ____________________”
“Not only do these programs save lives, but it is also one of the best investments that this Federal Government can make in this country, matching State and local funding. These projects in the long-term save $6 for every $1 in upfront spending. Yet, on this Earth Day, and just before we are about to enter hurricane season, instead of protecting our communities from sea level rise, the Trump administration ended this program. When we talk about government cuts to environmental programs, I will caution that rising seas don't care who is in the White House. The water doesn't care how a small town that experiences 90 days of flooding or more a year voted in the last election. Flooding will continue to devastate communities, even if the President does not believe in climate change.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 72 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025)] [House] [Page H1741] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CUTS TO FEMA BRIC GRANTS (Ms. ELFRETH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to this administration's devastating cuts to FEMA's BRIC program, otherwise known as the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grants. Towns like Crisfield in Maryland, Baltimore, and dozens of communities across this Nation, rely on this funding to ward off the very real and very devastating effects of flooding.”
“That is why I rise today to give voice to these cuts, to put faces to these draconian measures, and to plead with my colleagues across the aisle and with the President himself to do what is right. Restore these offices. Reinstate these civil servants. Protect and serve those who protect and serve us. ____________________”
“Lost in this desperate mission to cut costs at all costs, we have forgotten the greater public good, the public good that government must maintain and deliver for our constituents, our obligations to one another, and, most importantly, our obligation to those who run into burning buildings and who keep our communities safe. The Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program and the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer are the Federal Government at its best. These civil servants who serve our first responders should not just be reinstated. Frankly, their offices should be doubled. Perhaps these positions were eliminated as an oversight. Perhaps these hardworking, passionate civil servants were merely line items on a budget to some cost-cutter who didn't know any better.”
“When the President talks about DOGE and government efficiency, I am thinking about the firefighters whose lives he is putting in harm's way. We owe it to firefighters across this country who sacrifice so much to keep our families safe. At the very least, we can be there for them when they are exposed to cancer or lose members to line-of-duty deaths. These jobs are difficult and inherently dangerous, but they do not need to be deadly. These actions by the administration are cruel and unsafe. This is not what the American people wanted. This is not what they voted for.”
“[[Page H1426]] Under the banner of government efficiency and the claim to reduce waste, DOGE has fired three of the five investigators, which means longer wait times for our first responders who deserve answers as to how their brothers and sisters died in the line of duty and, critically, what changes need to be made to prevent such a death moving forward. Another victim of the reckless work of DOGE was the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer, which tracked cancer cases and deaths of firefighters. Cancer is now the leading cause of death for firefighters, and this database was critical to tracking health and safety improvements for firefighters and improving working conditions. In another sweeping effort to cut costs, DOGE eliminated the entire office. Now, this cancer registry is no longer maintained or updated.”
“In Maryland, our firefighters have told me that in those moments and for the first time they were able to walk through an incident guided by photographs, construction drawings, timetables, graphs, and supporting scientific evidence and that recommendations from these reports can be revolutionary to how they fight fires and save lives. NIOSH produces these reports through its Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, which was already significantly understaffed, with only five investigators investigating these incidents across the Nation. At this staffing level, it would take up to 4 years to thoroughly research and release a report after each line- of-duty death. That was until 2 months ago.”
“In Josh's case, the NIOSH report was instructive in identifying and operating over a basement fire. Maryland's fire community, like so many in our country, is small and well-connected. Each fatality is felt widely and personally. Following a tragedy, it can be difficult without the proper technical resources to make accurate and objective recommendations and changes, which is why the NIOSH investigations and reports are so crucial. These NIOSH reports are critical for firefighting communities in Maryland and around our country because they save lives. When released, crews across this country gather around kitchen tables and read the reports together.”
“I rise on behalf of Frederick County firefighter Captain Josh Laird, who we lost in 2022 when he, too, fell through a floor and into a basement fire. After each of these tragedies and tragedies just like them across this country, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, produced a report examining what went wrong and, crucially, how to prevent these tragedies from occurring moving forward. Those reports went on to save untold lives. In Mark's case, the NIOSH report spurred a new emphasis on identifying and communicating the presence of a basement upon first arrival. In Nathan's case, the NIOSH report exposed how outdated practices in building ventilation and fire flow management were killing firefighters across the country, ushering in nationwide changes in fire ground operations.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025)] [House] [Pages H1425-H1426] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] PROTECTING AND SERVING OUR FIREFIGHTERS (Ms. Elfreth of Maryland was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of Mark Falkenhan, a Baltimore County volunteer firefighter and Secret Service agent who perished on the third floor of an apartment building in 2011. I rise on behalf of Nathan Flynn, a Howard County firefighter who tragically died in the basement of a large house fire in 2018.”