Maryland Delegation Members Release Statement on Judge Ruling Halting Trump Administration Efforts to Close BARC in Beltsville, Maryland

WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives April McClain Delaney, Glenn Ivey, Steny Hoyer, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, Sarah Elfreth,  and Johnny Olszewski and U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (all D-Md.) released the following statement regarding last night’s ruling by a federal judge, temporarily halting the Trump Administration’s efforts to close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Beltsville, Maryland.

“As we’ve said time and again, this Administration’s attempts to shutter BARC are not only unwise – they’re illegal. BARC conducts critical research that helps farmers across our nation put food on the table for American families – including combatting serious threats to our agriculture, like cyclospora and avian flu. Last night’s ruling from a federal judge made plain: the Administration’s efforts are in clear violation of Congressional intent. We will continue fighting back against the Trump Administration’s lawless attempts to close this facility, undermining its crucial research on behalf of American farmers and families.”

The lawmakers have repeatedly stressed the importance of maintaining BARC, including, most recently pushing Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on this matter in April . Additionally, they have raised this issue in Committee hearings with Administration officials and fought for language in Congressional Appropriations and the most recent Continuing Resolution.