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Democratic

John Sarbanes

Congressman John Sarbanes has represented Maryland’s Third Congressional District in the U.S. Congress since 2007.

He currently serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change. He serves as Vice Chair of the House Subcommittee on Health. Congressman Sarbanes also serves on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and its Subcommittee on Government Operations. He chairs the Democracy Reform Task Force, which has assembled HR1, the For The People Act, to reform and strengthen our democracy.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Congressman Sarbanes has experience working in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. He and his family live in Towson, giving him the opportunity to drive home every night and hear from the people he serves in Congress. Listening to their concerns allows him to better represent Maryland and has shaped his work in the House of Representatives.

EDUCATION

K-12 Education

  • No Child Left Inside: Congressman Sarbanes is a national leader in the movement to promote environmental education, which is critical to empowering and inspiring the next generation of scientists, teachers and environmental stewards. Research shows that hands-on environmental education has a positive impact on student achievement in science, math and social studies, and encourages students to lead healthier lives. To better afford students these opportunities, Congressman Sarbanes authored the No Child Left Inside Act, which provides schools the resources necessary to integrate environmental education and field experiences into their core academic programs.
     
  • Improving the Quality of Education: Congressman Sarbanes consistently prioritizes expanding access to early learning programs and strengthening K-12 educational programs with a particular focus on providing the necessary resources to promote opportunities for students in underserved communities, bolster special education programs and increase school safety.
     
  • Supporting Students’ Mental and Behavioral Health. School-based health centers provide quality primary, preventive and mental health care to students in a convenient, trusted setting. Congressman Sarbanes has long championed investments in School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) to help meet the physical, mental and behavioral health needs of students and continues to fight for robust funding to improve and expand their services.

Higher Education

Many hardworking individuals and families continue to struggle with the costs of higher education even as they seek to enter a workforce that often demands a college degree. Congressman Sarbanes is working to ensure every individual has the opportunity to reach their full potential by making continuing educational programs more affordable and more accessible.

  • Strengthening Financial Aid Programs: Congressman Sarbanes consistently advocates for increasing the size, duration and year-round eligibility of the federal Pell Grant and bolstering other programs that make it possible for millions of students to recognize their dreams and obtain need-based federal financial aid for college.
     
  • Student Loan Repayment: Many who are fortunate to earn a degree still grapple with student loan debt long after they graduate. In 2007, Congressman Sarbanes authored the law creating the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which forgives remaining student loan debt for those who have made loan payments for 10 years while employed full-time in public service. The broader law also allows other individuals with federal student loan debts to apply for an income-based repayment plan that caps their monthly loan payments at no more than 10% or 15% of their income and can provide forgiveness after 20 years. The Congressman continues to advocate for improvements to the program that address implementation failures and bottlenecks, allowing more payments and more borrowers to qualify for forgiveness. To learn more, visit https://studentaid.gov/h/manage-loans.
  • Boosting Career and Technical Education: As the country transitions to a clean energy economy, workforce development and training programs must ensure that all Americans can acquire the skills, training and preparation to succeed in new, in-demand jobs. Congressman Sarbanes is committed to investments that expand career pathways for workers across the board and boost our STEM education resources.