Press Releases
Van Hollen, Cardin, Colleagues Urge Senate Leadership to Give Higher Education Students and Institutions Much-Needed Relief in Upcoming COVID-19 Legislation
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined colleagues in urging Senate leadership to include $47 billion in financial support for students and institutions of higher learning in the upcoming coronavirus relief package. "Higher education provides a ladder of economic opportunity to our nation’s students while also building a globally competitive workforce. Colleges and universities are also pillars of communities,” the senators wrote in their letter to Senate Majority … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Van Hollen, Warner, Colleagues Press for Expanded Access to Affordable Health Care in Any Upcoming COVID-19 Relief Bill
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and 34 of their Senate colleagues urged House and Senate leaders to ensure that any upcoming COVID-19 relief bill include strong provisions to expand access to quality and affordable health care coverage in the wake of this public health crisis. In their letter, the Senators called for a bipartisan effort to increase the federal government’s share of Medicaid … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $2.4 Million in Federal Support for Renters and Homeowners Affected by COVID-19 Pandemic
The full 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 today announced $2,377,692 in federal funding for Maryland renters and homeowners struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19.Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FY20 Comprehensive Housing … Continue Reading
June 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Sasse Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Punish Companies, Individuals Who Steal U.S. Technology
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) introduced bipartisan legislation to mandate strong economic penalties on firms and individuals involved in stealing American intellectual property. The Senators’ legislation, the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act, would require sanctions on individuals and firms found to engage in, benefit from, or enable the significant and serial theft of U.S. intellectual property. “For too long foreign companies - often … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $19 Million in New Federal Emergency Public Health Funding to Support UMMS’ Response to COVID-19
The full 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, today announced $18,711,424 in federal funds to help the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) cover the costs of responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Van Hollen, Merkley, Blumenthal, Colleagues Call on Appropriations Committee to Block Use of Military Against Peaceful Demonstrations
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) today urged the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to include protections in upcoming appropriations legislation that would put key limitations on the Trump administration’s ability to initiate military deployments under the Insurrection Act.The Senators are urging Congress to prohibit any use of taxpayer funds for … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Van Hollen, Merkley, Blumenthal, Colleagues Call on Appropriations Committee to Block Use of Military Against Peaceful Demonstrations
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) today urged the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to include protections in upcoming appropriations legislation that would put key limitations on the Trump administration’s ability to initiate military deployments under the Insurrection Act.The Senators are urging Congress to prohibit any use of taxpayer funds for … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $445,000 for Infrastructure Investments on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today announced $445,000 for improvements to water infrastructure on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. These federal funds are awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants. Through upgrades to water infrastructure facilities that are located within the floodplain and at risk during flooding events, this federal investment will support positive stormwater … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Van Hollen, Klobuchar, Brown Urge Department of Agriculture to Minimize Food Deserts and Support Programs to Help Americans Access Healthy, Affordable Food
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in sending a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to express concerns about how a lack of access to healthy, affordable food is hurting low-income communities and communities of color during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. To help address the disproportionate impact of the virus on these communities, the senators are urging Secretary Perdue to identify and prioritize programs at … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Baltimore Federal Delegation Members Announce More Than $2.3 Million for STEM Education
Today, members of Baltimore’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.), announced $2,360,998 in federal funding for Johns Hopkins University’s (JHU) Baltimore Online Algebra for High School Students in Technology program.The program partners JHU with Baltimore City Public Schools to help 9th- and 10th-grade students strengthen their algebra skills. Research shows algebra … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Van Hollen, Paul, Schatz Reintroduce the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the bipartisan Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act (S. 3931) to establish limitations and create greater transparency on the federal transfer of surplus military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies. This prohibition only applies to offensive equipment and does not prohibit the transfer of defensive equipment, such as body armor. “Our police are meant to protect and … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Presses Hogan to Fix Unemployment Insurance System and Deliver Urgently Needed Economic Relief Due to Marylanders
The Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen 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 are calling on Governor Larry Hogan to fix Maryland’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim system and improve delivery of critical financial insurance benefits to Marylanders still struggling during this public health emergency.“We have previously … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Van Hollen, Brown Join Bicameral Request for an Investigation into HUD’s Policy Changes to Deny DACA Recipients FHA-Backed Mortgage Loans
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, joined a bicameral group of colleagues in requesting the Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to open an investigation into whether the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) in its decision to change the agency’s policy to deny Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured loans to Deferred Action … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Van Hollen, Duckworth Demand GAO Immediately Review Safety of Rubber Bullets Being Used on Peaceful Protesters
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) immediately conduct a review to examine the safety of rubber bullets being used during civil rights protests. The Senators' request comes on the heels of public reporting that indicates there have been serious injuries resulting from law enforcement’s use of these projectiles to control and disperse protests occurring across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death. … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Senators Van Hollen and Cardin, Rep. Trone Announce $200,000 in Federal Funding for Allegany County Makerspace
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Representative David Trone (all D-Md.) announced the award of $200,000 for the Western Maryland Works (WMW) Allegany County Makerspace from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). In September, Van Hollen, Cardin, and Trone announced the initial $395,000 award to create the WMW Allegany County Makerspace.These new funds will allow the Board of Commissioners of Allegany County and the Allegany College of Maryland to equip and … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Van Hollen, Menendez Request in Bicameral Letter Investigation into HUD’s Policy Changes to Deny DACA Recipients FHA-Backed Mortgage Loans
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) along with U.S. Representatives Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-51) and Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.-31), sent a bicameral letter requesting the Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to open an investigation into whether the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) in its decision to change the agency’s policy to deny Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured loans to Deferred Action for … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Van Hollen, Cortez Masto Introduce Legislation to Protect Consumers Holding Corporations Accountable in the Courts
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the End Double Taxation of Successful Consumer Claims Act to protect American consumers’ right to sue corporations for fraud. The legislation will help ensure that consumers who win fraud causes are not liable for taxes on funds awarded to their attorney. In addition to Senators Van Hollen and Cortez Masto, this legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Van Hollen, Kaine, Gillibrand Call on Senate Leadership to Support Digital News Outlets
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) sent a letter urging Senate leadership to include support for digital-native news outlets in future COVID-19 response legislation. During this pandemic, these outlets have provided information to Americans on health and safety measures and reopening protocols in communities across the country. Digital-native outlets rely primarily on advertising revenue, yet the pandemic has caused a severe drop in this … Continue Reading
June 08, 2020
Van Hollen, Menendez, Senators Blast USAID Head for Attacking Sexual and Reproductive Health Provisions in UN’s COVID-19 Response Plan
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and a group of leading Democratic Senators in condemning the Trump Administration’s demand for the United Nations to remove all references to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) from the Global Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for COVID-19.Citing a May 18, 2020 letter from United States Agency for International Development Acting Administrator John Barsa to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Senators … Continue Reading
June 08, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Booker, Harris in Introducing Justice in Policing Act
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Representative Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, in addition to members of Senate, House, and Congressional Black Caucus leadership in introducing the Justice in Policing Act. This legislation aims to end police brutality, hold police accountable, improve transparency in policing and create meaningful, structural change that safeguards every … Continue Reading
