Minimal work, all the credit...

You know that guy in class who barely touched the project but somehow ends up holding the trophy in the photo? That’s our Wittman, who has been touting a few bipartisan environmental wins in the House and committee, as if they’re his personal triumphs. Could he be avoiding other topics?

His real achievements are few and far between, so we’ve noticed that when he’s even a minor player in a success, he rushes to the front of the victory parade. A recent example is the communication his office sent out recently titled “Wittman Secures Funding for Chesapeake Bay,” as if he is the primary mover on this legislation.

In reality, it isn’t Wittman securing the funding. This bill is a broadly supported, 397-28 vote renewal of an existing Chesapeake Bay program (with a bit of increased funding this year) first embedded in the 2024 omnibus bill, itself the product of decades of Bay policy and the 1983 Chesapeake Bay Program compact. The modern Chesapeake Bay Program reflects years of work by lawmakers like Ben Cardin, John Sarbanes, Jen Elfreth, Andy Harris, Bobby Scott, Steny Hoyer, and multiple governors and state leaders, as well as advocacy groups including the Choose Clean Water Coalition, which organized hundreds of organizations across the region.

The other recent announcement was of the House Natural Resources Committee clearing the MAWS Act (Mitigation and Watermen Support Act) for which Wittman is a co‑sponsor. This is a creative policy in our opinion, and we commend Wittman for supporting it. We congratulate Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D‑MD) for initiating the effort, crafting the policy, and building the coalition, including bringing Wittman and Kiggins on board to help bring it through committee.

The MAWS Act is designed to turn invasive blue catfish into a commercial and pet‑food opportunity while supporting local watermen, a creative answer to a real problem for the Chesapeake Bay. Thanks are due primarily to Sarah Elfreth (D-MD) for doing the real work.

So, while Congressman Wittman shows up to the (figurative) ribbon‑cutting — others do the hard work. It’s a classic move: when the heavy lifting’s done, Wittman’s there to lift the trophy.