U.S. Rep. David Trone (D), who represents District 6, completed his first year in office in December. Along with a list of accomplishments, Trone recently announced he is running for reelection.
“Representing the people of Maryland’s 6th District has been an honor of my lifetime, and I’m ready to continue this fight with them,” Trone said. “My team and I have worked tirelessly in Washington and throughout our four district offices on issues most important to the people of Maryland’s Sixth District, including the opioid crisis and economic inequality."
The sixth district includes all or parts of Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, and Montgomery counties. It shares Potomac with the 8th District, represented by U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D).
Members of Congress are elected for two-year terms. Trone will participate in the Primary Election April 28, running against Maxwell Bero, of Clarksburg, the only other Democrat who filed for the election.
Three Republicans are competing for a chance to unseat Trone. They are Kevin Caldwell of Brunswick, Chris Meyyur of Frederick and Neil Parrott of Funkstown.
In reviewing his first year, Trone said he was most proud of the work on the opioid crisis.
“As many people know, my nephew Ian Trone died of a fentanyl overdose in 2016 when he was alone in his hotel room,” Trone said. “My family and I experienced the all-too-common pain of losing someone to addiction, and it was devastating. …I came to Congress to bring urgency to the opioid crisis that took my nephew and is killing 192 people every day. I'm happy to say we are moving in the right direction.
“In my first year I started the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, a bipartisan group of 64 lawmakers from 31 states that meet multiple times a month to determine how we can dedicate funding and resources at the federal level to end this epidemic. We put together a package of 25 pieces of legislation on addiction and mental health that approach the problem from many different angles. My bill, which would give an additional $7.5 billion to states over the next 5 years, passed the House last year and I'm hopeful that we can get this through the Senate and on the President's desk. …I'm encouraged by the urgency I've seen with my colleagues this year in the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction.”
When asked what surprised him most about his job in Washington, he wrote, “I came to Congress to get things done and make sure those who don't have a PAC or lobbyist have a voice to represent them. On two particular issues, addiction and mental health, I've been pleasantly surprised at the willingness of both Democrats and Republicans to work together to find solutions and introduce bills together. These are issues that I've heard are important for constituents from Potomac to Western Maryland, and I'm glad that representatives in Congress can recognize this urgency too.”
“In 2019 alone, we held 175 public events across all five counties in Maryland’s 6th District,” Trone said. “From our forum on curbing gun violence in Rockville to conversations with farmers in Clear Spring, I believe the time we spent in the District helped our office remain connected, responsive, and in tune with constituent needs – and that translated into action.”
As for the economy, he said, “We need 21st Century approaches to bring 21st Century jobs to communities across our District. In December, we secured an additional $100 million to expand broadband – including to rural communities that are too often overlooked. …I also voted for a higher minimum wage, equal pay for women, protections against workplace discrimination for the LGBTQ community, lower prescription drug costs, and more. Sadly, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refuses to bring these bills to a vote in the Senate.”
Trone identifies part of his record and responsibilities as “holding the Trump administration accountable.”
“As part of the Education and Labor Committee, I pressed [Education] Secretary [Betsy] DeVos to answer whether she believes racial segregation poses a threat to educational opportunities for children of color. She refused to answer, which should concern all of us.
“In another hearing, I asked Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta what he believes the federal minimum wage should be. Secretary Acosta refused to give a number. (The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 for nearly 11 years – I voted to raise it to $15.)
“On the Foreign Affairs Committee, we worked to mitigate the damage of President Trump's reckless foreign policy decisions. We passed sanctions on Turkish officials and businesses connected to Turkey's invasion of Northern Syria that threatened our Kurdish allies. We also required the intelligence community report to Congress on human rights violations in Saudi Arabia and the killing of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi.
“Finally, in December, faced with overwhelming evidence of President Trump's use of military aid to Ukraine for personal gain, I voted for two Articles of Impeachment: Abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. I continue to urge my Senate colleagues to conduct a fair, impartial trial – nothing is more important than determining the truth.”
Trone sits on the Education and Labor, Foreign Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees in Congress. TO get in touch with him, email David@DavidTrone.com or tweet @DavidJTrone.