U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski traveled to Harford County yesterday, touring Aberdeen Proving Ground and meeting with County Executive David R. Craig to discuss ways the federal government can assist the county in handling growth coming to the sprawling military base.
Mikulski, a Democrat, has been pushing the federal government to increase aid to school districts, giving counties a boost of cash to prepare for incoming students. She is part of a coalition of lawmakers from various states affected by the military base realignment, known as BRAC, seeking to alter the funding formula.
"If we work together, this county will be able to get the benefits of federal funds as well as the benefits of new federal job opportunities," she said at a news conference in Aberdeen.
Mikulski said she was not concerned by remarks made last week by House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, a Prince George's County Democrat, who said Maryland should be in a position to "shoulder the majority of the load, because [the state] is the one being advantaged."
His comments came less than a month after members of Maryland's all-Democratic congressional delegation met with Gov. Martin O'Malley and said they would take advantage of their party's rise in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate to funnel more federal money for base relocation preparations.
Mikulski said yesterday that she believed Hoyer was simply noting restrictions on earmarks, or funding requests submitted by members for projects in the communities they represent. After the news conference, she reiterated her efforts to fight for funding.
"I'm a senior member of the delegation. We'll be fighting for every nickel we can get," she said.
justin.fenton@baltsun.com