Federal delegation warns of funding uncertainty, outlines Eastern Shore priorities

An afternoon session of the Eastern Shore delegation on Jan. 31, 2025, featured U.S. Senator Alsar Brooks and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, who briefed state lawmakers and regional leaders on federal issues affecting the Eastern Shore, including a recent fatal plane collision, agricultural disease support, seafood market and labor challenges, and uncertainty around federal grant payments.

The appearance brought federal-level attention to local priorities at a time of heightened uncertainty. Delegates and agency staff pressed senators and congressional staff for clarity about grants and federal programs relied on by Shore communities.

Senator Alsar Brooks opened her remarks by expressing condolences and confirming coordination with federal partners after the plane collision at Reagan National. "We are learning now that at least 4 of them were Marylanders," Brooks said, noting search-and-recovery work and interagency coordination. She described her committee assignments — Environment and Public Works; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Aging; and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions — as places she will pursue Eastern Shore priorities, including Chesapeake Bay protection and transportation funding.

Senator Chris Van Hollen, who joined later, framed several region-specific federal issues. On the Reagan National collision he said, "This is clearly an avoidable collision. And so the question is what went wrong?" He urged a transparent National Transportation Safety Board investigation.

Van Hollen discussed agricultural and seafood matters he and other Maryland lawmakers are pursuing in Washington. He said federal partners are working to ensure poultry producers affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza can receive compensation beyond existing APHIS programs. On blue catfish, an invasive species the Eastern Shore has encouraged markets to eat, Van Hollen said the delegation has sought funding for overtime inspectors and processing capacity so fish processors can operate when needed; he added that moving inspection authority from USDA to FDA was explored but not advanced and that, for now, "the consensus ... is we should just work to make the USDA system function much better." He said the delegation is also pressing the U.S. Trade Representative to address what they view as unfair Venezuelan crab imports that undercut Maryland crab processors.

Delegates pressed Van Hollen about H-2B temporary-worker visas that seasonal seafood processors rely on; he said the current lottery system is fragile and that lawmakers are seeking longer-term fixes.

A topic that drew immediate concern across the room was an Office of Management and Budget memorandum that temporarily halted certain discretionary payments. Jackie, a staff member in Congressman Andy Harris’s office, told the delegation that payments to individual entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security were not affected but that many discretionary grants — including some Head Start, fire grants and other community programs — were caught up in an overly broad agency response. Van Hollen said lawsuits and public pushback prompted OMB to withdraw the memo, but he warned that confusion and short-term disruptions had already hit recipients.

Van Hollen also warned that about $40 million in Eastern Shore-directed federal projects are at risk because the federal government remains under a continuing resolution rather than a finalized appropriations package. "If we don't get a full budget," he said, "those over $40,000,000 in projects for the Eastern Shore will go away." He urged local officials to identify priorities so lawmakers can defend them during the appropriations process.

He described continued federal investment successes as well: money from the bipartisan infrastructure law for broadband and airport projects, and ongoing support for Wallops Flight Facility launches that employ Maryland residents.

Several delegates asked how to help constituents who report stalled federal grant payments or confusion about agency portals. Jackie advised local leaders to forward specific inquiries to congressional offices so staff can press relevant federal agencies for case-by-case answers. Van Hollen urged anyone seeing disruptions to report stories to his office; he said an initial outreach produced hundreds of submissions in one day.

Ending the briefing, both senators and congressional staff urged close follow-up with their regional directors and staff. Van Hollen said his regional director, Alisa Hastings, remains the point of contact for sustained engagement on localized federal issues.

Provenance: first mention of senator Brooks’ remarks appears in the transcript at the segment where Senator Alsar Brooks addresses the delegation and condolences for the plane victims were shared; the last related remarks in the transcript are from Senator Van Hollen’s summary about budget risk and the continuing resolution.