Rep. Donna Edwards Supports a Department of Peace

Washington, DC - June 4, 2009

Today, Congresswoman Donna Edwards from Maryland's 4th district became the 71st cosponsor of H.R. 808 - the Department of Peace act. Rep. Edwards joins Congressman Elijah Cummings (from District 7, a long time supporter of the Department of Peace bill) as the second cosponsor of the legislation from the great State of Maryland, which has eight congressional representatives.

Rep. Edwards won her seat in the 111th Congress by first defeating former Representative Albert Wynn in the primary elections of November 2008. Ms. Edwards ran on a very progressive platform, claiming that Mr. Wynn was not progressive enough for the people of the district. Mr. Wynn had been a previous supporter of H.R. 808 in the 110th Congress, so it's great to see that Congresswoman Edwards is continuing the tradition of support for violence reduction on behalf of the people of her district.

On a related note, Rep. Edwards is also a cosponsor of H.R. 1064 - the Youth PROMISE act to reduce youth violence. Rep. Edwards, who signed on as a cosponsor on May 12th, joins Reps. John Sarbanes (MD-04) and Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02) and Elijah Cummings (all signed on when the bill was introduced on 2/13/09) and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD-08), who signed on May 18. With a total of 129 cosponsors and bipartisan support, the Youth PROMISE act is well on it's way to becoming law and improving the lives of at-risk youth.

Please join me in thanking Congresswoman Edwards - 202-225-8699 - for her leadership in support of the Department of Peace and Youth PROMISE legislation.

Also, if you live in the district of any of these Maryland Representatives, please contact them and let them know that you want there support for:

Rep. Frank Kratovil (MD-01) - Please support H.R. 808 (as did your predecessor) and H.R. 1064.

Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02) - Thanks for supprting H.R. 1064, now please also support H.R. 808

Rep. John Sarbanes (MD-03) - Thanks for supprting H.R. 1064, now please also support H.R. 808

Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD-05) - Please support H.R. 808 and H.R. 1064

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (MD-06) - Please support H.R. 808 and H.R. 1064

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD-08) - Thanks for supprting H.R. 1064, now please also support H.R. 808

Visit DoPeace