ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today issued a statement following Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth’s anti-DOGE legislation introduced today in the State House.
“As home to more than 140,000 federal employees, plus thousands more federal contractors, Maryland has been hit the hardest from the barrage of attacks coming from DOGE,” said Ball. “Our residents are suffering the biggest impacts from the mass layoffs, budget cuts, reduction in force and other actions taken by Elon Musk’s DOGE in their efforts to slash the federal government. Maryland is home to so many vital government institutions such as the National Security Agency, The National Institutes of Health, Fort Meade, Social Security Administration and many others. DOGE’s acts imperil our nation’s security and economy. Between 2000 and 2020, Howard County companies were awarded more than 38,000 defense contracts, totaling more than $33 billion. I want to thank Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth for her leadership in introducing this legislation. Our elected leaders in Maryland are unparalleled in their dedication, determination and diligence in fighting for Marylanders.”
Howard County has been a leader in its response to the DOGE cuts. Tonight, Howard County will host impacted Marylanders for a townhall with United States Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth at Howard Community College. This is the second townhall hosted by the County. More than 400 federal employees and other impacted workers attended the Federal Workers’ Forum on February 4th.
On February 25th, the Howard County Office of Workforce Development hosted a Federal Workers Career Fair where more than 600 attendees were able to connect with employers. Professional headshots were offered as a complimentary service, and childcare was provided by our Department of Recreation and Parks. A second Career and Resource Fair is scheduled for April 8th at 6:00pm at Howard Community College.
On March 4th, Ball announced the Howard County Economic Development Authority is hosting its annual Business Resource Expo, that is being refocused as the “From Federal Worker to GovCon Entrepreneur” event that will take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, March 26th at the Maryland Innovation Center in Columbia. Participants will have direct access to County and State programs that provide training, mentorship, and funding opportunities for small business owners and government contractors. The event will bring together economic development, procurement, and legal advisors to share insights on breaking into the industry.
Since the Executive Orders and DOGE cuts have been implemented, Howard County has actively worked to soften the blow for residents who work for the federal government. The email address, hocohelp@howardcountymd.gov, was created in response to the many questions residents had following the flurry of actions stemming from the White House. Since its launch, nearly 250 impacted people have been assisted by Howard County.
Additionally, the County has expanded its Office of Workforce Development services to directly help federal workers tailor their resumes and give job searching advice. During the last month alone, Workforce Development has helped nearly a thousand impacted federal workers and contractors.
Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks is working on expanding before and after childcare at the County’s 23 school sites. Ball emphasized the need to hire more childcare professionals to reach this goal. Interested childcare providers can reach out to RLCchildcare@howardcountymd.gov. The CARE Line--410-313-CARE, is a free resource for anyone seeking childcare solutions. During the last month, calls increased by nearly 40% and many of these calls occurred during the latter part of February.
For those who may be terminated or furloughed, food instability may become a concern. The Community Action Council of Howard County will provide pre-bagged shelf staples of food to Howard County’s federal employees who need food assistance during this time. These services will last for three months from the date of first visit, and affected employees may also apply to receive regular Food Bank assistance as well.
The Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development is now offering foreclosure prevention assistance to households who are facing unexpected financial crises and are behind on their mortgage payment. Eligibility for this program has been extended.
The 9-8-8 Crisis Line is available 24/7 for anyone who needs to speak to someone immediately. The newly expanded behavioral unit inside the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center now has triple the bed capacity to service mental health patients.