Press Releases
Van Hollen, Cardin, Raskin Press Navy Leadership for Answers on Living Conditions for Service Members at Walter Reed Base
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Jamie Raskin (All D-Md.) called on U.S. Navy leadership to immediately address poor and unsafe living conditions in barracks for junior enlisted service members at Naval Support Activity (NSA)-Bethesda, the site of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. In a letter to the Secretary of the Navy, the lawmakers cite reports that two junior enlisted barracks, Comfort Hall and Sanctuary Hall, have been without hot water, … Continue Reading
February 17, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Raskin Urge IRS to Clear Backlog, Improve Customer Service for Taxpayers During 2022 Filing Season
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Jamie Raskin (All D-Md.) participated in a bicameral effort urging the U.S Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to take immediate actions to reduce its massive backlog and improve its customer service during the 2022 tax filing season. In a joint letter sent to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, the lawmakers and more than 40 of their colleagues highlighted the pressing challenges American taxpayers are experiencing in their … Continue Reading
February 17, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce More Than $167,000 in Federal Funding for Broadband Expansion in Western Maryland
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $167,229 in federal funding to expand rural broadband connectivity in Garrett County. The funding comes from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Area Development Program and will go toward deploying six miles of broadband conduit, improving broadband services for hundreds of households. "The pandemic has underscored that reliable, accessible internet is a necessity for every household," … Continue Reading
February 16, 2022
Van Hollen, Booker, Bush Urge President Biden to Reverse Inhumane Immigration Policies Impacting Black Migrants
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Representative Cori Bush (D-Mo.) urged President Biden to reverse inhumane immigration policies, such as Title 42, originally introduced under the Trump Administration, that continue to mistreat and harm Black migrants. The letter comes in the aftermath of disturbing images from September 2021, in which Texas border patrol agents were seen beating and abusing Haitian migrants entering the United States. "Our country … Continue Reading
February 16, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Urge Maryland Department of Labor to Apply for American Rescue Plan Program to Improve Deeply Flawed Unemployment Insurance System
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) urged the Maryland Department of Labor to apply for a new program funded by the American Rescue Plan to improve the state's unemployment insurance system, in the wake of the severe delays and errors encountered by tens of thousands of unemployed Marylanders amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawmakers' … Continue Reading
February 16, 2022
Van Hollen, Hassan Crack Down on Insurance Companies That Illegally Deny Women Access to Birth Control
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) in calling on the Biden administration to improve enforcement of the federal law that guarantees complete coverage of birth control for women who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Despite existing law, certain health insurers continue to deny women coverage for birth control and fail to provide coverage for alternative birth control methods when they're deemed medically necessary. … Continue Reading
February 16, 2022
Van Hollen, Padilla, Warnock Introduce Bill to Permanently Re-establish DOT Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) introduced the Transportation Equity Act which requires the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to permanently re-establish the Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity. The Advisory Committee was created under the Obama Administration to convene stakeholders in order to provide independent advice and recommendations about comprehensive, interdisciplinary issues related to transportation … Continue Reading
February 16, 2022
Van Hollen Offers Testimony to Maryland State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in Support of Closing Ghost Gun Loophole
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) submitted written testimony to the Maryland State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of SB 387, a bill sponsored by State Senator Susan Lee (D-District 16), to address the growing threat of unserialized firearms or "ghost guns." In his testimony, the Senator highlights the concerning rise in ghost gun seizures across Maryland and the ease with which anyone - including a minor - can lawfully purchase firearm components and assemble a … Continue Reading
February 15, 2022
Van Hollen, Warren, Grassley Call On FDA to Finalize Rule on Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Without Delay
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to Janet Woodcock, Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, expressing support for key provisions in the FDA's proposed rule for regulating over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. The FDA's proposed rule is a direct result of the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act, which the lawmakers helped pass with broad bipartisan support in 2017. The comment period on FDA's … Continue Reading
February 14, 2022
Van Hollen, Baldwin, Murphy, Shaheen Urge Biden Administration to Limit Junk Health Plans that Undermine Standards of Affordable Care Act
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra urging the Biden administration to limit the sale and availability of short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI) plans, also known as "junk plans" because of their failure to provide adequate, comprehensive health insurance coverage. In 2018, in an effort to sabotage the … Continue Reading
February 14, 2022
Maryland Delegation Announces Nearly $15 Million to Support Outdoor Recreation Statewide
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $14,992,166 to support Maryland's wildlife conservation, sportfish restoration, and outdoor recreation through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program. Recipient state wildlife agencies typically partner with federal and county agencies, … Continue Reading
February 11, 2022
Van Hollen, Ossoff Working to Make Government Services Accessible in More Languages
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) in calling on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to direct Federal agencies to update their Language Access Plans, helping ensure people whose primary language is not English can access critical information and resources in their preferred language. The letter led by Senator Ossoff was signed in addition to Senator Van Hollen by Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), … Continue Reading
February 11, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $9.3 Million in Federal Funding for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $9,298,080 in federal funding for Maryland to build electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the state. Electric vehicles remain inaccessible to many Americans due to the limited supply of charging stations, especially in rural and underserved communities. This is the first year of a … Continue Reading
February 10, 2022
Maryland Delegation Lawmakers Deliver $1.8 Million Federal Grant to Modernize Port of Baltimore Infrastructure, Improve Region’s Air Quality
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) welcomed a $1,841,624 federal grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve air quality in the Baltimore region. The Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) award will support the replacement of several pieces of diesel-powered equipment servicing the Port of Baltimore with modern and more energy efficient equipment. "Addressing climate … Continue Reading
February 10, 2022
Van Hollen, Trone Lead Call to Award Maryland Veteran with Medal of Honor
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representative David Trone (both D-Md.) led a group of over 25 of their colleagues in a letter to the new Secretary of the Army, Christine Wormuth, in their continued push to award Maryland Veteran Corporal Waverly Woodson with a Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during World War II, and specifically his courageous and selfless actions during the D-Day invasion. While Cpl. Woodson was previously awarded a Bronze Star, as a Black Veteran … Continue Reading
February 10, 2022
Van Hollen, Warren, Blumenthal Call On Department of Education to Deliver Additional Relief to Student Loan Borrowers Cheated by Navient
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging him to provide additional relief for student loan borrowers affected by Navient's decades-long record of deceptive and abusive practices. While the historic $1.85 billion multi-state settlement against Navient provides critical and long overdue relief for borrowers cheated by the company, many borrowers are still ineligible for … Continue Reading
February 09, 2022
Van Hollen, Markey, Pappas, Huffman Urge Biden Administration to Request Full Funding for New Biking and Walking Program in President’s Budget
Today, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Congressman Chris Pappas (N.H.-01), and Congressman Jared Huffman (Calif.-02) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), urging the Biden administration to request full funding for the new Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program-recently authorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act-in the President's proposed Fiscal Year 2023 … Continue Reading
February 09, 2022
Van Hollen, Schatz Urge Biden to Step Up Efforts to Demilitarize Police
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) called on President Joe Biden to step up efforts to demilitarize the police. "We urge you to prioritize the demilitarization of law enforcement by limiting the transfer or purchase of certain military equipment for federal, state, tribal, … Continue Reading
February 08, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Continue to Urge Justice Department to Provide New Resources to Improve Public Safety in Baltimore
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (Both D-Md.) Monday continued their work to identify additional federal resources to confront violent crime and enhance public safety in Baltimore City. In a virtual meeting with key Department of Justice leaders, the senators urged Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and other senior DOJ personnel to heighten the level of agency assistance provided to the Baltimore metro area and increase the number of federal agents and U.S. Marshals assigned to … Continue Reading
February 08, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Urge Swift Response from DOJ, FBI to Recent HBCU Bomb Threats
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to ensure the ongoing investigation into the bomb threats recently made against Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country is conducted swiftly, thoroughly, and with sufficient resources. In their letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Chris Wray, the lawmakers note that HBCUs in Maryland and in … Continue Reading
