Press Releases
Van Hollen, Colleagues Push OPM and OMB to Publish Federal Workforce Guidance, Plan for Continued Services Amid Coronavirus Response
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and six of their Senate colleagues in a letter to the Acting Directors of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) calling on the agencies to post department and agency contingency plans amid the COVID-19 outbreak so that Americans know what services to expect as more federal agencies begin to ramp up teleworking capabilities to mitigate the spread of the virus. In their … Continue Reading
March 19, 2020
Van Hollen, Murphy, Senate Democrats Ask IRS to Extend Tax Filing Deadline Until July Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday, along with 20 Senate Democrats, in calling on the U.S. Department of Treasury to formally extend the deadline until July 15 for individuals and businesses to file their 2019 taxes. In a letter to U.S Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin, the senators expressed their worry that the existing plan allowing for extensions just for payments and not filings is unduly cumbersome to Americans already faced with … Continue Reading
March 19, 2020
Van Hollen, Booker, Jones Press for $1.5 Billion in Immediate Assistance to Minority-Serving Institutions Amidst COVID-19 Fallout
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Doug Jones (D-AL) urged Senate Leaders Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate appropriators to direct $1.5 billion in emergency funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to support urgent COVID-19 related costs. Over the past month, MSIs have had to cover substantial emergency expenses for students from low-income families, yet these colleges … Continue Reading
March 18, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Bipartisan Group of Senate Colleagues in Urging Federal Government To Expand Access To Telehealth Services For Rural Communities During Coronavirus Outbreak
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), along with a bipartisan group of 25 senators, in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to increase subsidies to health care providers through the Rural Health Care Program. The additional funding would ensure that providers have the resources they need to deliver and expand telehealth services for rural communities during the coronavirus (COVID-19) … Continue Reading
March 18, 2020
Van Hollen, Klobuchar, Wyden Introduce Bill to Ensure Americans Can Still Vote Amidst Coronavirus
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in introducing legislation that would ensure Americans are still able to vote by expanding early in-person voting and no-excuse absentee vote-by-mail to all states and allowing voters who did not receive an absentee ballot to use a printable ballot currently only provided for military and overseas voters.“We are facing a serious public health crisis that has prompted confusion and delay in our … Continue Reading
March 18, 2020
Van Hollen, National Capital Region Members of Congress Call on President Trump to Prioritize Testing Locations Locally
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and lawmakers from across the National Capital Region have written to President Donald Trump urging that that the region be prioritized for early locations of federally-supported COVID-19 testing sites. The joint letter reinforces the regional cooperation shown by Governors Larry Hogan and Ralph Northam and Mayor Muriel Bowser asking for federal testing.“[T]he National Capital Region is home to over six million residents and the seat of the federal … Continue Reading
March 18, 2020
Van Hollen, Harris, Colleagues Seek Answers on Coronavirus Preparedness in Immigration Detention Facilities
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) on Wednesday, along with a number of their colleagues, in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Matthew T. Albence, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark A. Morgan requesting information about the policies and procedures their respective agencies have in place to prepare … Continue Reading
March 17, 2020
Van Hollen, Bennet, Colleagues Call on FEMA to Mobilize Land Management Agencies to Support COVID-19 Emergency Response in Rural Communities
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), along with over 20 of their Senate colleagues, in calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to enable thousands of federal civil servants, who have experience with rapid emergency response, to assist rural communities that are increasingly overwhelmed by the challenge of responding to the … Continue Reading
March 17, 2020
Van Hollen, Brown, Colleagues Urge President to Use Existing DPA Authority to Address Shortages of Medical Equipment Needed To Treat and Prevent Spread of COVID-19
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), and 24 of their Senate colleagues in urging President Trump to use his existing authority to help address widespread shortages of medical equipment, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In a letter sent to President Trump, the senators pushed the president to invoke the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA), which authorizes the president to strengthen … Continue Reading
March 17, 2020
Van Hollen, Warren, Colleagues Demand Answers from Trump Administration on Shortage of COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Kits
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and 14 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and Assistant Secretary of Health Brett Giroir, coordinator for diagnostic testing efforts, requesting information on the Trump Administration's failure to ensure that diagnostic tests are available for the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “This failure has resulted in … Continue Reading
March 16, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $10.2 Million in Federal Funding for Maryland Coronavirus Response
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone today announced $10.2 million in federal funding for Maryland’s response to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).“This funding represents our collective commitment to responding with strength and unity to … Continue Reading
March 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Democratic Senators Urge Trump to Immediately Maximize Telework for Federal Employees
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with 26 of his colleagues, sent a letter to President Trump urging him to immediately issue an executive order directing agencies to utilize telework capabilities to the maximum possible extent. While the Administration has issued guidance recommending agencies expand their telework capabilities, too many federal employees are still required to come to work in-person when they can do their job from home. As the Centers for Disease Control and … Continue Reading
March 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Casey, Colleagues Press Trump Administration on Needs of Children and Early Care Providers During Coronavirus Pandemic
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), along with a number of their colleagues, in sending a letter to the Trump Administration pressing the coronavirus task force on the steps it is taking to protect children and assist early care and education providers to operate safely and minimize economic disruptions during the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak.The Senators write, “It is critical that all early care and education providers are equipped to … Continue Reading
March 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Markey, Colleagues Push to Ensure All Students Can Remotely Continue Education During Coronavirus Emergency
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), along with a number of their colleagues in calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to temporarily allow schools to utilize E-Rate program funding to provide Wi-Fi hotspots or devices with Wi-Fi capability to students who lack internet access at home. This action would help ensure that all students can remotely continue their education during the current public health emergency. The coronavirus … Continue Reading
March 13, 2020
Van Hollen, Smith Introduce Bill to Ensure Free Coronavirus Testing for All Americans
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has joined Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) along with a number of their Democratic Senate colleagues in introducing the Free COVID-19 Testing Act, which would expand free tests to confirm coronavirus (COVID-19) infections.The Free COVID-19 Testing Act would waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 diagnostic testing and related health care services for individuals enrolled in private health plans, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, VA as well as … Continue Reading
March 13, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Warner, Kaine Urge Financial Regulators to Take Measures to Protect Hospitality and Tourism Industry Workers During Coronavirus Outbreak
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) as well as Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) sent a letter to the financial regulators asking them to take action to mitigate the adverse impacts of the coronavirus on workers in the hospitality and tourism industry. The letter was sent to Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve; Joseph Otting, Comptroller of the Currency; Jelena McWilliams, Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Mark … Continue Reading
March 13, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Brown Press Social Security Administration on Telework Policies
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) urged Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Andrew Saul to expand telework availability at SSA and provide clear communication to their employees on these policies. In December of last year, the Senators wrote to SSA conveying their concerns about SSA’s decision to end telework for nearly 12,000 employees. This year, SSA made further cuts to telework in other divisions, … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen, Smith Introduce Bill to Protect Quarantined Workers from Being Fired or Punished by Employers Amid Coronavirus
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in introducing legislation to prohibit employers from firing, punishing or otherwise discriminating against a worker who is quarantined or isolated - or who is caring for a family member in quarantine or isolation - amid the coronavirus pandemic.“Employees should not be fired for being in quarantine or medical isolation,” said Senator Van Hollen. “As the nation confronts a public health emergency, we must give … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Peters, Colleagues in Introducing Bill with Colleagues to Provide Unemployment Assistance to Those Affected by Coronavirus
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has joined Senate Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI) and 22 colleagues in introducing the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act to provide federally-funded unemployment assistance to individuals affected by the coronavirus outbreak.“The coronavirus has already taken a serious toll on American jobs and our economy. We must immediately ensure help for those who have been impacted, so they can make rent, feed their families, and … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen Asks OMB General Counsel to Recuse Himself in GAO Inquiry, Resign as Designated Ethics Official
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) General Counsel Mark Paoletta asking that he recuse himself from ongoing inquiries regarding the Administration’s withholding of aid to Ukraine, due to Mr. Paoletta’s highly misleading statement to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In his letter, the Senator also requests that Paoletta step down as the Designated Agency Ethics Official at OMB. Paoletta’s statement to the GAO came in … Continue Reading
