Sabotaging Checks and Balances -
War on the Middle Class
House Joint Resolution: An Effort to Undermine the Trump Administration

On Monday, February 13th, the Maryland House of Delegates voted 89 to 50 to pass House Joint Resolution (HJ) 3 entitled: Attorney General - Powers - Maryland Defense Act of 2017.

HJ3 allows Maryland's Attorney General to sue the Trump Administration for any reason and for no reason, without consulting either Governor Hogan or the Legislature.  In an age of budget deficits, the Legislature is spending $3 million for this effort.

The following Legislators voted for HJ3: Senator Mike Miller (D-Calvert), Delegate Michael Jackson (D-Calvert), Delegate Sally Jameson (D-Charles), Delegate Edith Patterson (D-Charles), Delegate C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), Delegate Susie Proctor (D-Charles), and Senator Mac Middleton (D-Charles).
 
The following Legislators voted against HJ3: Delegate Mark N. Fisher (R-Calvert) Delegate Deb Rey (R-St. Mary's), Delegate Matt Morgan (R-St. Mary's), and Delegate Jerry Clark (R-Calvert, St. Mary's).

HJ3 erodes our system of checks and balances. Moreover, spending tax dollars on frivolous lawsuits is not going to rebuild the Middle Class.

Maryland Democrats  should recognize this fact and refrain from wrongly abusing the court systems. This is a desperate act of political posturing to invalidate the new President's policies.
HB 1366: Number of Employees Granted H-1B or L-1 Visa - Disclosure

 
HB 1366 requires Maryland employers to report the amount of H-1B and L-1 workers employed in Maryland. I am the proud sponsor of this bill.
  
H-1B visas are being improperly used by companies to replace Marylanders with cheap foreign labor. The H-1B visa was initially designed to allow employers to hire foreign workers in occupations when there is a shortage of American workers. There is no wage floor for H-1B visa workers, who are taking jobs at lower wages than domestic employees. Last year, there were more than 15,000 H-1B workers living in Maryland.
  
Put simply, there is a war on America's middle class.  State Legislatures are on the frontlines of this war. Since Maryland's real unemployment rate is almost 10%, State policy should encourage and support employment by Marylanders who are U.S. citizens. If there is indeed a delta of high-tech workers, then the State of Maryland should know about it. At a minimum, this bill will expose employment gaps in Maryland, and shed light on the H-1B and L-1 visa programs.

If you know someone whose job has been replaced by an H-1B worker, then please contact us at mark.fisher@house.state.md.us
  
Recently, I did an interview with Patrick Thibodeau of Computerworld, which can be viewed here: http://www.computerworld.com/article/3140225/it-outsourcing/what-will-trump-do-with-the-h-1b-visa.html

Meet the Team: Serena Jones

Serena Jones is one of my interns during this year's legislative session.  She is from Huntingtown, Maryland and attended Huntingtown High School.  

Serena has lived in Calvert County her entire life!  She is currently a Government and Politics student at the University of Maryland, College Park.  Serena's hobbies include: playing piano and guitar, writing music, exercising, reading, and shopping.  
Yours in service,


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