US Congressional District 2

A: Passing a federal budget is one of Congress’ basic responsibilities. We must get back to the regular order of passing our 12 annual appropriations bills and end this cycle of stop-gap budgets and shutdowns that endanger our federal workers and jeopardize the critical government services that taxpayers expect and need. I will always be open to supporting bipartisan budgets that are ironclad against illegal cuts and impoundments.

I was proud to introduce the Securing Assurance for Federal Employees (SAFE) Act during the Fall 2025 government shutdown, which would block the firings of the more than 22,000 federal workers in our district, and every federal employee across the country, during a government shutdown. I also support efforts to ensure federal employees are paid — not treated as political pawns — during these shutdowns. All options should be on the table to avoid shutdowns, including multi-year budgeting, skipping recesses and tying member pay to budget passage. I voluntarily withheld my pay in solidarity with our federal workers during the 2025 full government shutdown and I support “No Budget, No Pay” proposals that incentivize Congress to work across the aisle to advance strategic budgets that preserve the vital missions of our government.

A: I support and will continue to support bipartisan efforts that both secure our border and create a sensible pathway to citizenship.

Instead of focusing on violent offenders, this administration’s immigration enforcement has repeatedly undermined public trust, including through wrongful arrests, the deportation of American citizens and a routine disregard for widely accepted law enforcement standards. This reckless conduct turned deadly when two Americans were killed during federal enforcement operations in Minnesota. These tragedies were entirely preventable and demand immediate change to our immigration laws. I’ve joined other House Democrats to put forward commonsense reforms that Americans overwhelmingly support, such as prohibiting the detention or deportation of U.S. citizens, requiring federal agents to clearly identify themselves, mandating body-worn cameras, establishing clear use-of-force standards, and banning enforcement actions in sensitive locations like schools and places of worship.

A: Transparency and accountability are essential to restoring public trust in government. Members of Congress should be focused on serving their constituents — not managing personal stock portfolios with potential conflicts of interest.

Even the appearance of Members of Congress using information they are uniquely privy to is wrong and further erodes trust in our democratic institutions. Simply put, members should not be able to make or direct investments while they serve. I do not and will not actively trade stock as a member of Congress. I am also a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 396, the bipartisan TRUST in Congress Act, which would require Members of Congress and their immediate family members to place their financial assets into qualified blind trusts. And I am open to considering any additional measures that would further strengthen accountability and public confidence.

A: My faith calls on me to protect the vulnerable at every opportunity. That is why I called for articles of impeachment against former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary Kristi Noem. During her tenure, the department strayed far from its mission to protect the homeland — instead terrorizing marginalized communities, tearing families apart, and victim blaming as Americans lost their lives.

Another example is authoring a constitutional amendment to reign in the presidential pardon power. My legislation is a direct response to the abuses we have seen in which presidents of both parties have used the pardon to benefit the wealthy and well-connected.

A: The working-class values I learned growing up in eastern Baltimore County drive me. My upbringing, along with my professional experience before entering Congress — from teaching American government in public schools to serving in the Maryland General Assembly and as Baltimore County executive — push me every day to do more to serve our community.

Today, we face serious challenges, including the rising cost of living, weakened social safety nets, and a president who takes pleasure enriching himself at the expense of our democracy. In my first term as a U.S. congressman, I have proudly championed legislation to hold this administration accountable to Congress, the courts, and the American people. I also have a desire to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and have experience doing so. I have passed three bipartisan bills in my first year in Congress alone. I have secured a Republican co-sponsor to my constitutional amendment to reform the presidential pardon power. I have hosted bipartisan gatherings and regularly engage with Republicans in my committees to move issues important to my district forward.

A: 1. End Governing by Crisis with Automatic Continuing Resolutions

Shutdowns don’t save money — they waste billions, disrupt federal workers, hurt small businesses, and undermine national security. I support implementing automatic continuing resolutions so that if Congress misses a deadline, government operations continue at current funding levels. This removes the ability to use shutdowns as a bargaining chip and protects the American people from political brinkmanship.

2. Ban Hostage‑Taking in the Budget Process

Too often, unrelated ideological demands are attached to must‑pass funding bills. I support reforms that prohibit non‑budget policy riders from being used to force shutdown showdowns. Budgeting should be about funding the government, not about holding the country hostage to extract concessions.

3. Restore Regular Order and Committee‑Driven Budgeting

Congress used to pass budgets through a predictable, committee‑driven process. Today, leadership often negotiates behind closed doors and drops massive bills at the last minute. I support returning to regular order, where: committees debate and amend bills in public; members have time to read legislation; appropriations move through the process transparently.

A: I support replacing the current enforcement structure with a fully accountable, transparent, rights‑respecting immigration agency focused on: prioritizing violent criminals and traffickers; ending abuses and civil rights violations; ensuring due process for families, asylum seekers, and workers; and safety and humanity.

Replace ICE in Its Current Form

What I would change: Abolish ICE as it currently exists and replace it with a new, accountable, humane agency; focus enforcement on serious criminal activity, not families, workers, or asylum seekers; end private‑detention contracts and corporate incentives that profit from human suffering.

Enforcement must be effective, constitutional, and humane — not driven by fear or profit. I would push for a clear, earned pathway for long‑term undocumented residents who pass background checks, pay taxes, and meet requirements; offer permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for DACA and TPS holders; and expand family‑unity provisions to keep families together rather than be separated by bureaucratic delays.

A: No — members of Congress should not be allowed to trade individual stocks.

The public cannot trust lawmakers to act in the nation’s best interest if they are simultaneously making personal investment decisions that could be influenced by the information they receive in office. This is not a partisan issue. It’s a basic question of integrity, accountability, and restoring trust in government.

A: One of the defining moments in my life came in 2009, when I stood up to AEX, a large delivery contractor, after they mistreated and underpaid workers — including me. At the time, AEX held enormous power over drivers. They controlled the routes, the pay structure, and the working conditions. Most workers were afraid to speak up because they feared losing the only income they had.

But what they were doing was wrong. They were misclassifying workers, denying fair wages, and using their authority to silence anyone who questioned it. I refused to stay silent. I confronted the company directly, documented the abuses, and helped organize other drivers who were experiencing the same treatment. It wasn’t easy. There were threats, intimidation, and attempts to push me out. But I kept going because I knew that if we didn’t stand up, nothing would change. That fight eventually became part of a larger legal challenge that exposed the company’s practices and helped protect workers who had never had a voice. It taught me something I’ve carried ever since: Authority doesn’t intimidate me. Injustice does. Standing up to AEX wasn’t about politics — it was about dignity, fairness, and making sure workers weren’t being exploited.

A: What I will bring to Congress is something Washington has been missing for a long time: honesty, urgency, and the courage to fight for working people with no half‑measures and no corporate strings attached.

I’m bringing a plan that finally matches the reality of today’s economy:

• A federal minimum wage of $23.85 an hour
• A $2 cost‑of‑living increase every two years for the next decade
• A wage floor that actually keeps workers ahead of inflation, not behind it

A Pathway Out of Poverty — Not Just Another Program

I’m bringing the Poverty to Profession Initiative, a workforce transformation plan that gives people a real shot at economic mobility:

• A 10-14 week training pipeline
• Direct pathways into union apprenticeships and in‑demand skilled trades
• Priority for the homeless, unemployed, veterans, returning citizens, and people in disenfranchised neighborhoods

The Politicians’ Corruption, Accountability & Transparency Act — With Universal Accountability Clause

Congress has failed the American people because too many lawmakers answer to corporate donors, dark‑money groups, and special interests. I’m bringing a bill that changes that:

• Bans corporate PAC money
• Ends dark‑money influence
• Requires real‑time disclosure of financial activity
• Bans individual stock trading for members of Congress
• Creates strict penalties for corruption and ethics violations