Press Releases
Van Hollen, Baltimore Delegation Call on Attorney General Sessions to Rescind Request to Delay Baltimore Consent Decree
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin with Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) have written to Attorney General Jeff Sessions objecting to the request by the U.S. Department of Justice to delay finalizing the consent decree that was agreed to by DOJ and the City of Baltimore to address systemic civil rights violations. The agreement followed an exhaustive federal pattern-and-practice investigation. "We are gravely concerned that the … Continue Reading
April 03, 2017
Van Hollen, Booker Demand Answers from DOJ on Private Prisons
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions about the Department of Justice's decision to continue to use private prisons. The Senators are deeply concerned about the decision and are asking a series of questions to foster transparency and to ensure scrutiny of the issue doesn't stop. "We write to seek clarity about your recent decision to rescind former Attorney General Sally Yates's order to the federal Bureau of Prisons to reduce … Continue Reading
April 03, 2017
Van Hollen, Schatz, Cardin, Senators Call on EPA to Enforce Clean Water Rule and Protect Drinking Water
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) were joined by eight of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to demand answers on how the EPA plans to comply with President Trump's executive order on the Clean Water Rule. The order calls on the EPA to weaken the Clean Water Rule significantly, a move that would undermine the Clean Water Act, and directly contradict the … Continue Reading
March 31, 2017
Van Hollen, Brown Urges Court to Preserve Consumer Watchdog’s Independence
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) helped lead an amicus brief filed today with a federal appeals court in support of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's current structure as an independent agency. The brief outlines how Congress decided after the 2008 financial crisis to design the CFPB as an independent agency with a single director to protect consumers' interests and respond quickly to changes in the marketplace. The brief also emphasizes that Congress … Continue Reading
March 30, 2017
Van Hollen Introduces Bill to Rescind President’s Anti-Climate Executive Order
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Michael Bennet and 30 U.S. Senators today in the introduction of legislation to rescind President Trump's Executive Order to reverse several landmark U.S. initiatives to combat climate change. "Climate change is harming our economy, our health and our environment -- but the Trump Administration is turning a blind eye to the clear and present danger it poses. Americans are already paying the price in the form of destruction to property and … Continue Reading
March 30, 2017
Van Hollen Demands Trump Abandon Harmful DOE Cuts
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and 16 Democratic Senators in sending a letter to President Trump urging him to reverse course on his plan to cut the Department of Energy's fiscal year 2018 budget. "The Department of Energy is a science and technology leader, with an unrivaled network of national laboratories, accelerating innovation in energy, … Continue Reading
March 30, 2017
Van Hollen, Duckworth Call on President Trump to Use American Made Steel in Pipeline Construction, Support U.S. Jobs
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led a letter with nine other Senators urging President Trump to protect American jobs by ensuring all new pipelines - if approved - are constructed and maintained with American made products and equipment. The President recently issued a memorandum requiring all new pipelines to be constructed with American made materials, but made an exception for the Keystone XL pipeline, posing a threat to American manufacturing and U.S. jobs. … Continue Reading
March 30, 2017
Van Hollen, Duckworth Call on President Trump to Use American Made Steel in Pipeline Construction, Support U.S. Jobs
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led a letter with nine other Senators urging President Trump to protect American jobs by ensuring all new pipelines - if approved - are constructed and maintained with American made products and equipment. The President recently issued a memorandum requiring all new pipelines to be constructed with American made materials, but made an exception for the Keystone XL pipeline, posing a threat to American manufacturing and U.S. jobs. … Continue Reading
March 30, 2017
Senate Democrats to President Trump: Veto Misguided Resolution That Eliminates Privacy Rules Designed to Protect Americans’ Most Sensitive Personal Information Stored on Computers or Phones – Such As Social Security Numbers, Browser History, And Precise G
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senate Democrats today to release a new letter to President Trump urging him to veto a resolution - passed by both the House and the Senate this week - that would undo consumer privacy rules enacted by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) designed to prohibit internet service providers (ISPs) from selling or sharing the sensitive personal data of their customers without first obtaining consent. The letter -- signed by 46 Senate Democrats -- notes … Continue Reading
March 29, 2017
Van Hollen, Bipartisan Group of Senators Urge President Trump to Restore Funding to Appalachian Regional Commission
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and nine Senators representing six states and both political parties are urging President Donald Trump to reverse his proposal to eliminate federal funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Since ARC was created in 1965, the federal-state partnership has worked with states, localities, and the business community to support the creation of thousands of new jobs and helped leverage billions of dollars in new economic investments across the Appalachian … Continue Reading
March 29, 2017
Van Hollen, Senate Dems to President Trump: Abandon ACA Repeal Efforts, Stop Undermining Health Care System, and Work in Bipartisan Fashion to Improve the Law and Lower Health Care Costs For All Americans
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Senate Democrats released a new letter to President Trump urging him and his administration to abandon their efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and undermine the United States health care system so they can work in a bipartisan fashion to improve the law and lower the costs of health care for all Americans. The letter, signed by 44 Senate Democrats, also requests - as a first step - that the Trump Administration rescind the executive order signed … Continue Reading
March 29, 2017
Van Hollen and Senate Colleagues Lead Milestone Effort to Bring Down Prescription Drug Prices
In the wake of Congressional Republicans' failed attempt to rip health coverage away from millions of Americans, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), and a key group of Senate Democrats launched a major push to improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by bringing down the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs, one of the main reasons why health care costs are rising. "The Affordable Care Act has markedly improved our healthcare system, but we must constantly fight to … Continue Reading
March 28, 2017
Van Hollen Announces Plan to Re-Introduce Carbon ‘Cap and Dividend’ Plan as Trump Signs Executive Order to Poison Atmosphere
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced plans to re-introduce carbon 'cap and dividend' legislation as President Trump signs an executive order rolling back climate and environmental protections: "Climate change is an economic, public health, and environmental crisis - but the Trump Administration is turning a blind eye to the clear and present danger it poses. President Trump is either ignorant to the basic facts of climate change, or he is willfully poisoning our atmosphere to benefit … Continue Reading
March 28, 2017
Van Hollen to Oppose Gorsuch Nomination
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced he will oppose Judge Neil Gorsuch to be the next Supreme Court Justice: "The responsibility to provide advice and consent on Supreme Court nominees is one of the most important constitutional powers granted to the U.S. Senate. After carefully evaluating Neil Gorsuch's record and his testimony before the Judiciary Committee, I have concluded that he applies a cramped reading of the law and consistently sides with powerful special interests against … Continue Reading
March 27, 2017
Van Hollen Calls on Sessions to Recuse Himself if Trump-Deutsche Bank Investigations Are Not Impartial
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions about the ongoing investigations into Deutsche Bank's relationship with President Donald Trump, which one legal expert called "the biggest conflict that we know about in terms of dollar amounts and the scale of legal exposures." "As the Attorney General with direct oversight of this investigation, I urge you to ensure that any investigations or negotiations with Deutsche Bank be done with complete impartiality," … Continue Reading
March 24, 2017
Van Hollen: Trump’s Budget Leaves Maryland’s Children Behind
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees,released the following analysis of some of the impacts that the Trump budget would have on education in Maryland: "President Trump's budget leaves Maryland's children behind," said Senator Van Hollen. "These proposals aren't just numbers, they are a statement of values - and it is clear that Donald Trump does not value public education. From afterschool programs to quality teachers to affordable higher … Continue Reading
March 23, 2017
Van Hollen Introduces Legislation to Overhaul Broken VA Appeals Process
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jon Tester (D-MT), and a group of 16 Senators in introducing legislation to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs' broken appeals process. The process has not been updated since 1933, and more than 450,000 appeals are currently pending. Because of redundancies and inefficiencies in the current process, most veterans wait years for a decision on their appeals. By replacing the current process, the Department of … Continue Reading
March 23, 2017
Van Hollen Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Cut Out-of-Pocket Costs for National Guard Members and Reservists Traveling to Training and Drills
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to introduce the bipartisan Savings for Servicemembers Act, which helps servicemembers save on travel expenses. "Marylanders who serve in the National Guard should be commended for their service, but too many are burdened by travel expenses to get to and from their required trainings," said Senator Van Hollen. … Continue Reading
March 23, 2017
Van Hollen Delivers Warning to Speaker Ryan, House Republicans: We're Not Going to Help You Erode Healthcare Coverage
As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and 41 of their colleagues in sending a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan warning that he will not have their support for further repeal legislation as outlined in the Speaker's "three phase" plan. As part of their campaign to secure votes for passage in the House, Speaker Paul Ryan and President Trump have assured certain … Continue Reading
March 23, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of David Friedman
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record in opposition to the confirmation of David Friedman to serve as Ambassador to Israel: "Mr. President, our Ambassador to Israel is one of our most consequential diplomatic posts.Israel is our greatest friend and ally in the Middle East, and one of our closest partners in the world.The bonds between our peoples have been unbreakable from Israel's beginning.Israel is a bastion of democracy and prosperity … Continue Reading
