Press Releases
Van Hollen, Senators Demand Answers from HUD for Hiring Eric Blankenstein
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) are demanding answers on HUD's hiring practices following press reports that disgraced former CFPB political appointee Eric Blankenstein was hired as Senior Counsel of HUD's Office of General Counsel, just one month after resigning from CFPB. Blankenstein, while employed at CFPB, was under investigation for racist and … Continue Reading
June 28, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators: Census Should Stay on Schedule, Omit Citizenship Question
Senators Urge Secretary Ross To Print Census Materials Without Citizenship Question, Avoid Delays Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined a group of 28 senators in calling for Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to meet the administration's previously set deadline of July 1 to begin printing materials for the 2020 Census and move forward without adding a politically motivated question about citizenship. Their call comes a day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration's … Continue Reading
June 28, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce New Legislation to Support Programs that Provide Summer Jobs for Young People
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today announced the introduction of new legislation that would authorize $100 million in additional annual funding for youth summer jobs programs like Baltimore's YouthWorks. The Youth Summer Jobs and Public Service Act (S. 2036) would direct five years of federal funding to communities with high concentrations of low-income youth to support the expansion and development of summer employment programs that provide meaningful … Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
Van Hollen Statement on Passage of Annual Defense Bill
Includes Van Hollen Provisions to Protect American National Security Interests Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement on the Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which includes Senator Van Hollen's Otto Warmbier Banking Restrictions Involving North Korea (BRINK) Act and funding for many other Maryland priorities. "I'm pleased that the Senate was able to come together on a bipartisan basis to pass this … Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
Van Hollen, Toomey Otto Warmbier BRINK Act Passes Senate as Part of NDAA Bill
Today, U.S. Senators Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Pat Toomey (R-Penn.), announced the passage of the Otto Warmbier Banking Restrictions Involving North Korea (BRINK) Act within the Senate's FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill was also co-sponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Their legislation is designed to offer foreign banks and firms a stark choice: continue business with … Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce Resolution Honoring Slain Marylander Alex Villamayor, Calling for Justice and Accountability
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have introduced a resolution honoring the life of Alex Villamayor, a young American citizen born in Maryland who was tragically murdered four years ago in Paraguay. The resolution calls for justice and accountability in his worrisome case, where his death was initially covered up and the FBI was prevented from properly investigating his death. "Alex's death was a tragedy and cannot be forgotten. As we seek to honor his life and his … Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Introduce Legislation to Stop Trump Administration Proposal to End Protections for Homeless Transgender People
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined a group of Democratic Senators in introducing new legislation to block a proposed rule at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that would strip away protections for homeless transgender people. The Ensuring Equal Access to Shelter Act, is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Jack … Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
Approaching First Anniversary of Mass Shooting at Capital Gazette, Maryland Senators Renew Call for Gun Safety Legislation
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today reflected on the first anniversary of the deadliest newsroom shooting in American history and called upon their Republican colleagues in the Senate to enact commonsense gun safety measures immediately. "Friday marks one year since we lost Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendi Winters. On this day - and every day - we should celebrate their lives and commemorate their good works. But this is not … Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
Maryland Members Meet with FAA, Urge Action on Ongoing Noise Issues
Yesterday, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, as well as Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger, and Jamie Raskin (all D-Md.), met with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell to discuss the ongoing community concerns surrounding the development of NextGen flight paths at both Baltimore-Washington International and Ronald Reagan National Airports. The new paths have created significant noise issues, and to date, the FAA has been unable … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Van Hollen Statement on Border Supplemental
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) submitted the following statement on the Senate border aid bill: MR. PRESIDENT, This morning, Americans woke up to a picture of a 25-year-old father lying facedown holding his infant daughter. They both drowned crossing the Rio Grande River. The border policies implemented by this Administration have life or death consequences. Congress should be doing everything in its power to make sure that our southern border is safe and secure and that … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Van Hollen Presents Far-Reaching Economic Proposals at EPI’s Taxing the (Very) Rich Conference
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen discussed his proposals to improve our tax code and boost the U.S. economy at the Economic Policy Institute's Taxing the (Very) Rich Conference. The full text of the Senator's remarks is below: Thank you very much. Let's give it up for Thea and all the good work she does. Thank you to Thea Lee. And I am glad to be off of Capitol Hill right now and with all of you, as we plan what we need to do as we go forward in the coming years on Capitol Hill. I want … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Senate Colleagues Call for Investigation at USDA Amid Reports of Scientific Data Suppression
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and several Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Ms. Phyllis K. Fong, the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), to request an investigation into potential instances of suppression and alteration of scientific reports, documents, or communications produced by USDA. The Senators also called for the Inspector General to investigate instances of retaliation and political decision-making at USDA, which has reportedly affected … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $496,985 for Chesapeake Research Consortium
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced $469,985 in federal funding for the Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) in Edgewater, Maryland through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These funds will assist both the CRC and the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO) in maintaining and restoring the health of the Bay by improving scientific research, fostering technical information exchange, and promoting education and stewardship … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Democrats Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively
Today, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with several of his Senate colleagues joined Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) in introducing bicameral legislation, the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2019, that will guarantee the right of public employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. There are nearly 17.3 million public workers across … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Senate Colleagues Criticize DOL Proposal to Narrow Definition of "Joint-Employer" Under Fair Labor Standards Act
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), today submitted a comment to the Department of … Continue Reading
June 25, 2019
Van Hollen, Senate Colleagues Call on Trump Administration to Release Climate-Related Studies Conducted by USDA
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), along with Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tom Udall (D-NM), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) called on the Trump Administration to provide more information after a recent report revealed the administration has only publicized two of at least 45 climate-related studies reviewed by the non-partisan Agricultural Research Service (ARS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) since President Trump took office. In a … Continue Reading
June 25, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Durbin, Kaine Introduce NDAA Amendment to Halt Security Assistance to Cameroon
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to halt all further U.S. security assistance to Cameroon, except for dealing with Boko Haram, until the U.S. Secretaries of Defense and State certify military and security forces of Cameroon have demonstrated progress in abiding by international human rights … Continue Reading
June 25, 2019
Van Hollen Introduces the Strengthen Social Security by Taxing Dynastic Wealth Act
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen introduced the Strengthen Social Security by Taxing Dynastic Wealth Act, which would provide an immediate investment into Americans' retirement security. The bill would return the estate tax to 2009 levels - rolling back the most recent boon for wealthy estates in the 2017 Republican tax law - and depositing all of the revenues from this tax into the Social Security Trust Fund. Senator Van Hollen has also introduced the Social Security 2100 Act, which would … Continue Reading
June 24, 2019
Van Hollen Announces Public Service Awardees for Howard County
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced the Howard County recipients of his 2019 Public Service Award. The Van Hollen Public Service Award is designed to commend a high school senior who has demonstrated a high level of commitment to community or public service. Students who embody this commitment are dedicated to making a positive change that will benefit their community, state, or nation. Senator Van Hollen is announcing over 125 recipients throughout Maryland. "It's important that … Continue Reading
June 24, 2019
Van Hollen Announces Public Service Awardees for Western Maryland
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced the Western Maryland recipients of his 2019 Public Service Award. The Van Hollen Public Service Award is designed to commend a high school senior who has demonstrated a high level of commitment to community or public service. Students who embody this commitment are dedicated to making a positive change that will benefit their community, state, or nation. Senator Van Hollen is announcing over 125 recipients throughout Maryland. "It's important … Continue Reading
