AARP Maryland joins the nation in mourning the death of Congressman Elijah Cummings, who passed away on October 17 at the age of 68.

In 2016, AARP presented Cummings with the Champion of the 50+ Award for his leadership issues of importance to the 50+.

“I was fortunate to sit next to Elijah Cummings in the House of Delegates where he was one of the leading voices for his district—one of the poorest communities in Baltimore," said AARP Maryland State President James Campbell. "Whether in Annapolis or Washington, Elijah never forgot where he came from, which I found amazing for someone who served in the rarified air of the nation’s capital."

Campbell continued, “I remember that when Elijah rose to speak, a hush would come over the chamber. He spoke with great force and passion, those on both sides of the aisle were always move by his words. The son of a sharecropper who spent a lifetime fighting to correct wrongs and for an equal opportunity for all, Elijah Cummings’ voice will be missed both here in his hometown and in the Congress of the United States.”

“Maryland has lost a lion in Elijah Cummings," said AARP Maryland State Director Hank Greenberg. "Over nearly 4 decades in public service, Elijah was a tireless advocate for our most vulnerable citizens, children, the poor and elderly. His door was always open to AARP. He worked alongside us in our fight to protect Social Security and Medicare, and to keep SNAP benefits from being cut. He championed pay equity, access to healthcare and healthy, livable communities. As House Oversight Committee Chairman, he took on big PhARMA to end prescription drug price gouging, so that people would no longer have to choose between life-saving medication and paying their bills."

“May Elijah’s legacy of service to the community and people he so loved be a lesson to us all," Greenberg said.