Press Releases
Van Hollen, Democratic Senators Urge HHS To Protect Consumers and Prevent Hospitals from Going After Workers’ Wages for Medical Debts
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) led a letter with several of their colleagues urging Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to take action to prevent hospitals from garnishing workers’ wages as a means to collect medical debt. As the Senators note in their letter, hospitals should not take this drastic step during a time of crisis, and HHS should not provide emergency relief funds to hospitals undertaking this practice on consumers. “We … Continue Reading
May 12, 2020
Van Hollen, Markey, Schumer, Cantwell, Bennet, Schatz, and Hassan Lead Colleagues on Legislation to Ensure All Students Have Access to Internet During Coronavirus Pandemic
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash,), and Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) today led 39 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in introducing the Emergency Educational Connections Act, legislation aimed at ensuring all K-12 students have adequate home internet connectivity and devices during the coronavirus pandemic. The bill is … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Blumenthal Statement on DOD Inspector General Probe Into Navy’s Coronavirus Protocols
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) issued the following joint statement after the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General’s office announced the launch of an evaluation to determine if the Navy has implemented policies and procedures to prevent and mitigate the spread of infectious diseases - including COVID-19 - on ships and submarines."We are pleased that the Inspector General will evaluate Navy protocols to prevent and mitigate the spread of … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Sarbanes Lead Bicameral Push Urging Bay States, D.C. to Uphold Environmental Protections as EPA Abandons Enforcement
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congressman John Sarbanes (both D-Md.) led Chesapeake Bay delegation members in sending a bicameral letter to Bay Watershed Governors Larry Hogan (R-Md.), Tom Wolf (D-Penn.), John Carney (D-Del.), Ralph Northam (D-Va.), and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.); and Mayor Muriel Bowser (D-D.C.) urging them to maintain rigorous environmental standards crucial to the health of the Bay, despite the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to relax enforcement of … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Slam Trump Administration for Shortchanging Americans’ Direct Payments Amid Pandemic
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) are slamming the Trump administration for a major error that has kept families with children across the country from receiving the full direct payment amount that they qualify for under the CARES Act.Some families did not receive the $500 payment per dependent that they qualified for, and are now … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Additional $16 Million in COVID-19 Community Development Block Grant Funding
The full Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, today announced $16,105,784 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for the state of Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). This flexible funding source will allow the state of Maryland to provide a … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $7 Million for Community Health Centers to Increase COVID-19 Testing Capacity
The Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone announced $6,975,492 for eighteen community health centers in Maryland through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Authorized through the Paycheck Protection Program and Health … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Van Hollen, Blumenthal, Senators Urge DOD to Enhance Mental Health Care Resources for Servicemembers & Families Amid Pandemic
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with a group of 17 Senators, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), urging the agency to put in place a comprehensive mental health care plan to ensure the well-being of servicemembers and their families during and after the pandemic.“We urge you to develop a plan to protect and promote mental health and wellbeing, assess and reform current policies, … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Van Hollen, Senators Urge VA to Prioritize Veterans’ Mental Health Care Amid Pandemic
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with a group of 23 Senators, including Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-MT) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), urging the agency to develop and implement comprehensive mental health care plans to ensure veterans’ well-being during and after the pandemic. “The stress, uncertainty, and isolation associated with the pandemic - all risk … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Van Hollen, Brown Introduce Legislation to Help Renters During the Coronavirus Pandemic
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced new legislation, the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020. A companion bill was introduced in the House by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Congressman Denny Heck (D-WA). The bill would establish an Emergency Rental Assistance program to provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help families and individuals pay their rent and remain housed during and after the … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Senators Van Hollen, Markey and Rep. Phillips Lead Bicameral Legislation to Significantly Expand National Service in Response to Coronavirus Crisis
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today formally announced the introduction of legislation to mobilize Americans in the fight against the coronavirus. In the House of Representatives, Congressman Dean Phillips (MN-03) is leading Representatives John Garamendi (CA-10), Adam Schiff (CA-28), and Paul Tonko (NY-20) on companion legislation. The Undertaking National Initiatives to Tackle Epidemic Act (UNITE Act) expands authorization of … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Van Hollen, Menendez, Colleagues Call on Kyrgyzstan President to Release Prisoners
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and five of their Senate colleagues in calling on the President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov to release detainees currently serving sentences for peaceful activism. The Senators affirmed that “Individuals should never be imprisoned for exercising their rights of freedom of assembly, association, and speech” and urged President Jeenbekov to “release these individuals on the merits of their cases.” They also pressed … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Van Hollen, Murphy, Baldwin Lead Call Urging Trump Administration to Cover COVID-19 Related Medical Expenses for Those Enrolled in Junk Plans
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), along with 7 Senate Democrats in urging the Trump administration to cover the COVID-19 treatment expenses for those enrolled in short term, limited duration insurance (STLDI) plans. These so-called junk plans, which are heavily promoted by the administration, often do not cover essential medical services and are leaving consumers recovering from coronavirus with high out-of-pocket expenses. … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Maryland Delegation Members Announce More Than $1.5 Million in Telehealth Grants for State Health Care Providers
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Anthony G. Brown, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) today announced $1,532,697 in competitive awards for Maryland health care providers through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth program. This program was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help health care providers meet the increased needs for telehealth … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Van Hollen, Merkley, Murray, Colleagues Push Trump Administration for Detailed COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), and a group of 21 lawmakers pushed the Trump administration to provide a detailed briefing to Congress and the American people regarding their strategy to produce and distribute a coronavirus vaccine as soon as one is available.“The production and distribution of a successful COVID-19 vaccine or vaccines may be the most extensive and important public health undertaking of our lifetimes. We cannot afford to let the … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Van Hollen, Blumenthal, Beyer, Colleagues Push in Bicameral Letter for Boost of Health Care System Research Funding in Next Congressional COVID-19 Relief Package
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), along with a group of 31 Members of Congress, urged Congressional leadership to include $71 million in funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in the next COVID-19 relief package. This funding would give AHRQ the capacity to evaluate the U.S. health care system’s response to the pandemic, pinpoint shortcomings, and improve national preparedness for future … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Van Hollen, Merkley, Young Push in Bipartisan Letter for United Nations Plan to Protect Human Rights During COVID-19 Pandemic
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Todd Young (R-IN) today pressed the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in a bipartisan letter for a strategy to protect human rights around the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The senators’ push comes as many of the traditional human rights monitoring activities—such as on-the-ground, in-person monitors in nations around the world—have ground to a halt amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The senators also expressed … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Colleagues Tell Trump Administration: Stop Playing Politics with the U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined colleagues in urging Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to reject politically motivated conditions on financial relief for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), which is a critical lifeline for many Americans, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The senators also expressed their strong opposition to the use of coronavirus as a pretext to pursue privatization of USPS, which is widely unpopular with the American people. The … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce More Than $110,000 for COVID-19 Research at University of Maryland, College Park
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (all D-Md.) today announced $110,399 in federal funding to the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant program for research into the social consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this project will assess how state and local governments’ social … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $17 Million in AmeriCorps Funding
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Andy Harris, M.D., Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all Md.) announced that Maryland received an award of $17,133,477 in state and national AmeriCorps funding. The award comes from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency responsible for AmeriCorps, and will place more than 1,200 AmeriCorps volunteers … Continue Reading
