I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day celebrating with family and loved ones. What is more all-American than celebrating Mothers (except maybe apple pie)?

Well, my opponent, Roscoe Bartlett, feels differently. On Wednesday, he voted AGAINST H. Res. 1113, "Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day."

The MD Democratic Party sent us the message below. Read the story in the Washington Post, check the vote record, then join with me in making sure Rep. Bartlett is voted out in November.

From the Maryland Democratic Party:

Roscoe Bartlett
Entrenched, Ineffective and, throwing Mothers under the bus just before their Big Day

You should know the lengths to which some members of Congress will go to play partisan politics in the nation's capital, including your representative from Maryland's 6th Congressional District.

Read the story and know how far millionaire Roscoe Bartlett will go to play ball with the right-wing to keep health care from children and seniors, destroy Social Security and keep America embroiled in an endless and costly war that fails to keep Americans safe.

Click here to read the Washington Post article

Click here to read the House vote record

Have you wanted to include the latest news about Jennifer's campaign on your website or blog? Well, we developed a simple widget for you. It will update every hour, so you're always up to date! You can also fully customize the widget with your own CSS, if you're into that sort of thing. With our CSS, it looks like this:

Here's the code -- just cut and paste it into your own website or blog.

<div class="feed_widget">
<h3>Jennifer Dougherty - Change Congress</h3>
<ul id="feed_widget_22544"></ul>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://wigitize.com/javascripts/wigitize.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">wigitize_entry_count = 4;wigitize_show_date = false;</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://wigitize.com/feeds/22544.json"></script>
</div>

We're getting ready to do the second large mailing of the campaign, and we need your help. Come by the campaign headquarters this Saturday morning, from 9 AM until 2 PM. We are located on the second floor above Jennifer's Restaurant, 207 W. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701. Park behind the restaurant and come in the back door.

MEDICAID FUNDING VOTE SHOWS POOR JUDGMENT

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett voted against the interests of people who live in this district by supporting the Administration plan to slash Medicaid funding. “It’s a disgraceful and insulting vote to ignore the needs of Marylanders in these tough economic times. Bartlett supports making tax cuts for the wealthiest permanent, but thumbs his nose at people who truly need help,” said Democratic nominee Jennifer Dougherty. “He is out of touch and shows poor judgment with votes like this.”

A small group of extremists tried to cut $18 billion from Medicaid over the next five years. The House bill voted to protect the Medicaid safety net with a veto-proof majority (349-62).

“It is so unfortunate to see him turn his heart against those who need help. This is another example of Bartlett’s flawed logic where the rich are rewarded with tax cuts and the poor need to pay the price. If Bartlett thinks the strains on the economy are so great that we cannot afford to protect the neediest Americans, why does he support tax cuts for the rich or our continued presence in Iraq?”

Dougherty has challenged Bartlett to debate the issues in every county in the District. Bartlett has not committed to any scheduled debates.

Dougherty Says “Going Green” Is Good for the Economy

“We can’t afford for another Earth Day to come and go without hope for progress and meaningful change in facing our environmental responsibilities. People are telling politicians in lots of ways that they are ready to act. I am listening and I will help make progress in our District and the country,” said 6th District Democratic Congressional Candidate Jennifer Dougherty.

“Environmentalists are true conservatives – they want every person to take personal responsibility when it comes to protecting the environment, conserving energy and promoting effective strategies that will reduce greenhouse gases and the negative impacts of climate change,” said Dougherty. “In Congress, I will use the same approach, promoting responsibility to achieve real progress on important environmental initiatives.”

“A few years ago, I attended an Earth Day Celebration and I was shocked to learn my ‘carbon footprint’. While I was doing well on water conservation, it was way too high on energy use. By taking a few simple actions like converting lightbulbs and adjusting my thermostat, I have reduced my energy consumption,” said Dougherty. “I also started getting smarter about the importance of planting trees and shrubs. It’s all part of the solution.”

Just when families finish juggling last year’s taxes, Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCain supports a plan that places a larger tax burden on American workers. Just today he said, “We need tax policies that respect workers” and encourage work, but his plan for reforming the nation’s health care system sends a chilling message to working Americans who would lose employer-provided health benefits and pay more in taxes.

The Republican plan would:

• Make health benefits a taxable benefit requiring working people who get their health coverage through work to pay higher taxes

• Encourage employers to discontinue offering health care benefits
• Force people to negotiate with big insurance companies on their own
• Support the creation of Health Savings Accounts with high deductibles
• Offer a tax credit $2500 (individual) and $5000 (family) to offset insurance costs
  • Average cost per individual almost $6000/year

  • Average cost per family almost $7500/year

I agree that we need to reform our nation’s health care system and soon. We cannot allow 47 million Americans including nearly 9 million children to go without adequate health care. I support universal health care coverage that is fair and allows choice, but on a day when most Americans are focused on paying their taxes, I want to state my opposition to a plan that increases taxes on working people. I will work to:

• Maintain employer-sponsored health care benefits

• Allow individuals to buy from the federal employees’ plan
• Provide tax credits to small businesses offering health care benefits
  • address need to access affordable plans

  • provide credits up to 50%
  • complement tax credits to individuals/families
• Limit premiums to percentage of income
• Strengthen Medicare to protect Seniors and allow early retirees to buy-in
• Strengthen Medicaid and SCHIP to provide adequate health care to lower-income families, especially children

Previous | Image 1 of 23 | Next

Jennifer

Jennifer garnered endorsements from DCCC Chairman Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Gov. Martin O'Malley and Comptroller Peter Franchot, and the well wishes of hundreds of Democratic activists at Rocky Gap.

U.S. Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), will endorse 6th District Congressional candidate Jennifer Dougherty at the 4th Annual Western Maryland Democratic Summit on Saturday, April 12th. He will offer his endorsement and present Dougherty with a $5,000 donation towards her campaign to unseat 8-term incumbent, Roscoe Bartlett.

Rep. Van Hollen is Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means as well as the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

"Jennifer is a strong and independent leader who shares the values and priorities of Maryland's 6th District. She will fight to create jobs, improve education, and provide health care to Maryland's working families", said Van Hollen. "Jennifer would be a great asset in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the Maryland Congressional Delegation. I look forward to working with her in the next Congress."

"Chris Van Hollen is working hard with the DCCC to ensure that Democrats are elected to Congress in record numbers across America this November", said Dougherty. "Like the rest of the country, the 6th District of Maryland deserves energetic and effective leadership and I am fighting a hard campaign to provide just that. I am honored by this endorsement and Rep. Van Hollen's support."

Dean of the Women in the U.S. Senate, Senator Barbara A. Mikulski will endorse 6th District Congressional candidate Jennifer Dougherty at the 4th Annual Western Maryland Democratic Summit on Saturday, April 12th.

"Senator Mikulski makes things happen, she knows that local communities need help in Washington. Her support of affordable housing in Frederick helped us win the HOPE VI grant bringing $15.8 million in HUD funding to advance affordable housing in Frederick." Senator Mikulski supported several projects during the Dougherty Administration in Frederick including HOPE VI, Homeland Security grants for local police, Carroll Creek Park and the current funding of I70-270 expansion. "Senator Mikulski doesn't fool around, she's about results! She's a great role model!"

"Today, I am proud to endorse Jennifer Dougherty for U.S. House of Representatives. When Jennifer was elected Frederick's first woman mayor in 2001, we partnered in our fight for Western Maryland communities. Now, I'm looking for another Team Maryland partner to work with me in Congress," said Senator Mikulski. "Whether it's bring our troops home safely and swiftly, working to make sure U.S. jobs stay in the U.S. or fighting for Maryland's fair share in federal transportation dollars, I need Jennifer fighting with me so the 6th Congressional district gets a 1-2 punch!"

DOUGHERTY ENDORSES "A RESPONSIBLE WAY TO END THE WAR IN IRAQ"
PRESIDENT BUSH HAS A TIN EAR

More than a year ago, General Petraeus said, "There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq." Petraeus returned to Capitol Hill today to ask for patience and commitment to continue the deployment of troops in Iraq. "At this point, the Bush Administration is trying to run out the clock without being able to define or deliver victory," said Democratic Candidate for Maryland's 6th Congressional District Jennifer Dougherty.

More than 4,000 Americans have died in Iraq and nearly 30,000 have been injured. Since the surge more than 800 have been killed. Most Americans oppose continued military operations in Iraq and want to move forward with diplomatic and economic strategies in Iraq. In Dougherty's announcement, she stressed the need for diplomacy. "I endorse the plan proposed by retired military leaders and veterans, A RESPONSIBLE PLAN TO END THE WAR IN IRAQ. The plan echoes General Petraeus' admission that the solution is not more troops, but more talk. It also addresses the significant humanitarian concerns that exist as a result of the war. We have to elect people who are serious about ending this war."

The United States has spent $ 2 trillion on the Iraq War, but the debt is passed onto our children. We have handed them a mortgage payment before they can buy a home." Dougherty added, "We don't have to look very hard to find better places to spend that money. We need to focus on our priorities."