U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski warns Baltimore County delegation that federal staffing and budget moves risk local services

U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski addressed the Baltimore County House Delegation on Feb. 21, saying recent federal actions and proposed budget changes have alarmed constituents and could have a material effect on county services.

Olszewski, who represented Baltimore County as county executive before his election to Congress, told members that “my phones have been ringing off the hook” since a recent town hall in which nearly 9,000 constituents participated. He said he has heard reports from federal employees and families worried about the stability of health benefits, retirement processing and other services.

“People are scared,” Olszewski said, citing cases including a federal worker’s family concerned about losing health insurance and veterans who rely on federal staff to enroll children in support services. He added that Maryland employs roughly 140,000 civilian federal workers, with more than 22,000 in the 2nd Congressional District, and said cuts or mass firings could have “a devastating impact on Maryland’s budget.”

Why it matters: Olszewski framed the issue as both a policy and a process problem — he said he welcomes conversations about efficiency but argued that any major reductions or agency restructurings must proceed through Congress and the appropriations process, not unilateral executive action. He cited the Impoundment Control Act and ongoing litigation over some administration moves as reasons to use legislative and judicial channels rather than abrupt agency-wide shutdowns.

During a question-and-answer session, delegates asked about specific topics: whether proposals would cut Medicare (delegates pressed Olszewski to distinguish Medicare from Medicaid), how grant freezes are being handled, and allegations of waste in foreign aid and USAID programs. Olszewski said he is working with colleagues on bipartisan bills to expand workforce training and is prepared to pursue casework to lift improper freezes; he cited an example in which his office helped secure release of a local nonprofit’s $150,000 grant.

On foreign-assistance oversight, Olszewski said he favors line‑by‑line reviews to find waste—“I welcome the conversation”—but warned that wholesale suspension of programs can harm long-term U.S. interests, such as education projects that keep children in school and reduce the risk of extremist recruitment.

Delegates also pressed him on the status of agency actions, the firing of inspectors general and the legal requirements for executive personnel changes. Olszewski noted statutory requirements (for instance, he said, a 30‑day notice is required for some firings) and said many disputes are being resolved in court.

What he offered: Olszewski said members of his office will do constituent casework and urged delegates to forward specific frozen grants, projects or constituents so his staff can intervene. He also cited his committee assignments (Small Business and Foreign Affairs) and said he is pursuing bipartisan opportunities on workforce grants.

What he did not say: Olszewski did not announce federal rule changes or commitments of new funding during the meeting. He consistently emphasized process — that Congress, not the executive branch alone, should enact major programmatic changes — and described ongoing litigation and appropriations as the avenues to address disputed actions.

For the record: Olszewski’s remarks were given during the delegation’s opening and Q&A portion of the Feb. 21 meeting; his statements and the constituent examples above are documented in the meeting transcript.