A Tribute to Rep. Elijah Cummings: Fueled by Compassion, a Champion of Social Justice
Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland was different from most other lawmakers we see today. He embodied a moral authority that others try to project but that for him was unquestionably authentic. When he spoke of working on behalf of "the people," there was never a shred of a doubt that he meant just that.
Rep. Cummings is a vivid reminder that our democratic institutions work best when they are open to genuinely diverse perspectives. His personal experiences with adversity and injustice helped forge the views he brought to his work as representative of Maryland’s 7th District, which includes some of the most economically distressed areas in the country. These lived experiences no doubt led him to view his constitutional duty to "promote the general Welfare" differently from many of his colleagues and to take that duty much more seriously.
Rep. Cummings brought this unique perspective to his work on U.S. regulatory policy. For many, this area of policy is arcane and technical. But he recognized the value of effective regulatory safeguards as a tool for achieving fairness and justice for all. Rep. Cummings richly deserves the many accolades he is now receiving. One important one that is …
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