Senator Barb Answers Kids' Questions

What was your favorite thing to do as a kid?

I enjoyed being a Girl Scout. We were taught that we could be anything we wanted to be, and that helped build our self-esteem. We were taught to respect ourselves and that no dream was too big and no goal unattainable. The friendships I developed with other girls in my troop were very important to me growing up. I knew I could count on them, and they could count on me.

What did you want to be when you were younger? Did you always want to be a Senator?

When I was young, my parents took me to see a movie about Marie Curie, a famous Polish chemist. I was so inspired by the movie, that I decided I wanted to be a chemist. I had a chemistry set and used it up until I was in high school. When I got to college, I got a C in chemistry and an A in social sciences. I decided that I would go with my strengths and work to help others. That is why I became a social worker.

What do you like the most about being a Senator?

When I was a social worker, I wanted to help people, but it was difficult to do because I didn't have all of the resources I wanted. Now I am a social worker with power. The power of my position allows me to really help people in need.

I am concerned about the environment. I don't want to breathe bad air or drink dirty water when I am older. What are you doing to help the environment?

I have fought very hard to protect the environment for future generations of Marylanders. I cosponsored the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act and the Estuary Habitat Restoration Partnership Act, which would increase Bay clean up activities and fund local Bay projects. I fought for alternatives to the incineration of chemical weapons at Aberdeen Proving Ground. I won federal funding to fight Pfiesteria in the Bay and every year I fight to fund the Chesapeake Bay program. The CBP works to clean up the Bay, conduct Bay research, monitor water quality and provide public education and outreach.

I want to be an astronaut when I'm older. What are you doing to help the Space Program?

The Space Program is very important to me. Not only is exploring space exciting and rewarding, but other technological innovations come from space exploration. I have saved NASA programs, such as Mission to Planet Earth, a program for teaching Earth Science. I also pushed for the Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, which encourages kids to pursue space and technology-related fields, and the space science internship programs, which gives college students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience at NASA through Morgan State and Johns Hopkins Universities.