Johnny’s Priorities

Johnny O knows that a strong middle class is America’s economic engine — and he’s fighting every day to make sure hardworking families have the tools they need to get ahead, not just get by. He’s pushing for higher wages, affordable healthcare, and strong, fully funded public schools that prepare every child for success.

One of the first bills he passed in the House directly strengthens the workforce pipeline by connecting employers with graduates of career and technical education programs — helping Marylanders secure good-paying jobs and helping local businesses fill critical positions.

Johnny O has been a steadfast defender of workers’ rights and the essential programs middle-class families count on, including SNAP to combat food insecurity, Medicare to keep healthcare affordable for seniors, and Social Security to protect workers’ retirement security.

And when Republicans advanced a budget that handed massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy while threatening cuts to the very programs working families depend on, Johnny O forcefully opposed it — standing firmly on the side of middle-class Marylanders.

Johnny O gets it: if you can’t afford your rent or mortgage, groceries or healthcare, little else matters. He’s laser-focused on lowering costs for struggling families and calling out House leadership for its refusal to take up meaningful legislation to do so.

He’s pushing to extend critical health-insurance tax credits, end the reckless Trump-era tariffs that are driving up prices, rein in prescription drug costs, expand the housing supply, and cut utility bills. And he’s fighting to protect essential lifelines like Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and the Child Tax Credit—programs that help families stay afloat when times are tough.

Johnny O is fighting to ensure working Americans aren’t just scraping by— they’re finally getting ahead.

Johnny O is pushing to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for American families. He fought to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits that help keep premiums down, while protecting core programs like Medicare and Medicaid from cuts. He’s also working to expand access in underserved communities and safeguard reproductive healthcare.

There’s a lot Congress can do to lower prescription drug costs, especially within Medicare. Johnny O supports more aggressive price negotiations, capping out-of-pocket costs and improving price transparency so patients face fewer surprise bills.

And he’s also vehemently opposed to the Trump Administration’s cuts to programs and agencies that conduct critical medical research and ensure access to life-saving vaccines.

The Trump Administration is engaged in a relentless and direct assault on our democratic principles — from demanding the prosecution of perceived political opponents, to censoring comedians; from deploying our military into American communities, to unilaterally cutting federal funds approved for Congress.

Johnny O is fighting for the soul of our democracy by supporting legislation to expand voting rights, protect the independence of our courts, and prevent presidential abuses. He’s speaking out against the politicization of our military and championing efforts to restore integrity to politics, such as banning stock trading by Members of Congress.

Everyone deserves a safe, stable roof over their head. Johnny O knows that quality housing opens the door to opportunity, which is why he worked tirelessly to significantly expand attainable housing across Baltimore County. Now, he’s taking that fight to Washington to tackle the national housing shortage and soaring rent and mortgage costs.

Johnny O introduced first-of-its-kind legislation to create a national housing loss rate—similar to the unemployment rate—so policymakers can finally track, understand, and confront this crisis. He’s also leading efforts to convert vacant and underused buildings into affordable homes, and he supports common-sense steps like tax incentives for first-time homebuyers, expanded access to small-dollar mortgages, and reducing tariffs on construction materials.

As a graduate, teacher, and parent in the Baltimore County Public Schools system, Johnny O knows firsthand how a high-quality education can transform lives.

As Baltimore County Executive, he delivered record investments in new school construction and created near-universal free community college for county residents. Now, he’s standing up to extreme efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and gut federal support for special education and schools in low-income communities.

The Trump Administration is pushing policies that ban books, enable discrimination against LGBTQ+ students, and divert taxpayer dollars to private schools. Johnny O is pushing back to ensuring that every student—no matter who they are or where they come from—has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Johnny O knows that climate change is real and he is insisting on immediate, bold action to address it. In Congress, he is pushing for aggressive, science-driven policies that will create jobs and help restore our environment.

He strongly rejects the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle landmark protections that ensure Americans have clean air and water — and to slash funding for vital environmental programs that safeguard cherished resources like the Chesapeake Bay.

Instead, Johnny O backs strategic, large-scale investments in renewable energy: deploying solar, wind and other clean-energy technologies not only to dramatically cut carbon emissions, but also to create thousands of good-paying, sustainable jobs — boosting communities while protecting the planet.

Johnny O deeply believes in doing all we can to support those who have put everything on the line for our freedoms. He is fighting to increase funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, expand medical care for millions of veterans at its hospitals and clinics and protect essential benefits like disability compensation, pensions, and education programs. He also opposed efforts to roll back expanded care for veterans exposed to toxic substances provided under the landmark PACT Act.

Johnny O is also pushing for more resources for veterans mental health counseling, crisis intervention, and substance-use treatment, while also funding housing programs and outreach teams that help veterans find stable housing. He’s joining efforts to improve opportunities for veterans returning to civilian life, signing on to legislation to expand education and job-training programs.