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December 23, 2019

One Year in Office: David Trone Fights for Those without a Voice, Delivers on Promises to Serve Constituents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov

One Year in Office: David Trone Fights for Those without a Voice, Delivers on Promises to Serve Constituents

Washington, DC – Congressman David Trone (MD-06) completed his first year in office by bringing home big wins for the people of Maryland’s 6th District. By working with both Democrats and Republicans, he secured funding to fight the opioid epidemic and invest in life-saving medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), made huge advancements for the federal workforce by establishing 12 weeks of paid parental leave and banning the box on federal employee applications, and played a leading role in passing a $15 federal minimum wage through the House of Representatives.

Throughout his first year, Trone spent a significant amount of time in all five counties within the 6th District — Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, and Montgomery — meeting with thousands of residents and holding workshops to listen and learn about how Congress can improve education and healthcare, fight the opioid epidemic, support veterans and seniors, and invest in science, economic development, and an improved economy. Trone came to Congress to fight for those without a PAC, a lobbyist, or a voice, and that’s exactly what he’s done.

2019 BY THE NUMBERS

FIGHTING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

Trone’s nephew Ian died of a fentanyl overdose at the age of 24 while he was alone in a hotel room. This personal connection made fighting the opioid epidemic Trone’s top priority in Congress. In February, Trone started the bipartisan Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, a group of 63 new members from 31 states across the country dedicated to ending the opioid and addiction epidemic. In total, the group met 19 times, visited both Johns Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to learn about techniques to combat addiction, and supported 27 bills aimed at ending the addiction crisis.

Trone tackled the epidemic from all angles. He offered new ideas about how to use settlement money to prevent more opioid-related deaths, and advocated for greater access to naloxone; he called for training for House Members and staff on how to administer naloxone and for airlines to carry naloxone on board every plane. He held multiple workshops about the crisis in Maryland and listened and learned from first responders and those on the front lines about what they needed to properly address the epidemic. In June, Trone secured funding for opioid research, and in December he announced that his bill, which would provide $1.5 billion for five years to State Opioid Response Grants, passed through the House of Representatives.

STANDING UP FOR WORKERS AND THE ECONOMY

Before coming to Congress, Trone ran a successful business, and he brought that experience to his role as a Representative throughout his first year. As the only Member from the Maryland delegation on the Education and Labor Committee, Trone worked closely with labor unions, holding a roundtable with Chairman Bobby Scott and Maryland labor unions and standing up for workers across the country to pass a $15 minimum wage through the House.

In September, he convened a roundtable in Hagerstown about the importance of rural broadband to jobs and the economy in Western Maryland, and in December he announced that he was able to secure an additional $100 million to expand broadband.

When the company Verso announced in May it would be closing down their paper mill in Luke, Maryland, Trone immediately stepped into action. He met with local officials, the head of the Steelworkers Union, and spoke multiple times with Verso’s CEO about the closure. He held a business roundtable about how to bring jobs to Allegany and Garrett counties, and in November he introduced the Fair Warning Act, which would strengthen worker protections and take steps to ensure the situation that happened at Luke Mill would not happen again.

LISTENING AND TAKING ACTION 

In order to understand the priorities of the 6th District, Trone spent time in all five counties listening and learning. From visiting students in Garrett College to holding a forum about ways we can curb gun violence in Montgomery County, Trone heard about the most important issues facing our communities.

These conversations resulted in action. In total, the House of Representatives passed over 400 bills, 275 of them bipartisan. Among the bills sitting on Senator McConnell’s desk are bills that would implement universal background checks, protect Dreamers, take action against climate change, and lower the cost of prescription drug prices.

Garrett County

Allegany County

Washington County

Frederick County

Montgomery County

FIGHTING FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN

Trone has demonstrated what can be done as a new Member of Congress when you listen to your constituents, keep your promises, and fight every day for a better future for our children. As he enters his second year in Congress, Trone will continue to advocate for those without a PAC or a lobbyist and make progress for all Marylanders and Americans.

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