Press Releases
Van Hollen, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration against Upending U.S. Relationship with WHO Amid Global Fight Against COVID-19
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and a group of Democratic senators in urging the Trump Administration to reconsider its treatment of the World Health Organization (WHO) during the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the senators raised concerns about the consequences of further withdrawing the United States from multilateral cooperation to confront the coronavirus pandemic. The letter … Continue Reading
April 20, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $1.6 Million to Create Disaster Relief Jobs for Dislocated Workers in Maryland
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, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, today announced $1,665,000 in federal grants to help create temporary disaster relief jobs for laid off workers in Maryland. Funding comes through the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic … Continue Reading
April 18, 2020
Van Hollen, Warren, Schumer, Brown Urge Fed to Fix Rules That Block City, County Governments from Receiving DIRECT COVID-19 Relief
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) have sent a letter to Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Jerome Powell expressing serious concern with the arbitrary population thresholds used to determine eligibility for cities and counties to receive relief under the newly created Municipal Liquidity Facility program. The Senators urged Chairman Powell to expand eligibility for the program, which was authorized by the … Continue Reading
April 17, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Ruppersberger, Pittman Announce $113 Million in Federal Funding to Re-Build Meade High
Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, along with Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, today announced a $113.7 million federal grant to modernize and construct new facilities at Meade High School. Anne Arundel County is contributing $28.5 million in matching grant funding for a total investment of $142.2 million.The federal funding, provided by the Department of Defense’ Office of Economic Adjustment and awarded to the Anne Arundel … Continue Reading
April 17, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces more than $45 Million in COVID-19 Relief for Child Care Centers
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, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, today announced $45,821,890 in funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) … Continue Reading
April 17, 2020
Van Hollen Calls on Administration to Ensure Minority-Owned Small Businesses are Not Shut Out of Paycheck Protection Program Funding
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) as well as Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY) in calling for the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury Department to ensure that minority-owned businesses are not shut out of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The lawmakers also called for the Administration to amend guidance on PPP, to reaffirm lending institutions’ obligation to comply with fair … Continue Reading
April 17, 2020
Van Hollen, Manchin, Colleagues Press for Dedicated, Flexible State and Local Government Emergency Funding
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and 31 Senators in advocating for state, local, and tribal governments to receive dedicated, flexible funding in the next COVID-19 emergency funding package. While Maryland has received some funding for state and local governments to support their COVID-19 pandemic response, state and local governments need more flexible, dedicated funding in the next emergency funding package.The Senators said in part, “On behalf of … Continue Reading
April 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Blumenthal, Senators Press Navy for Answers About COVID-19 Outbreak & Sailors’ Safety as More Test Positive
With more than 600 USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT Sailors testing positive for COVID-19 and outbreaks on four aircraft carriers, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and a group of 18 Senators in calling on the Navy to protect its personnel and to answer urgent questions about safety protocols in place to prevent further spread of the virus among others in its fleet. “[T]he Navy must reconsider its current assumption that servicemembers are at low-risk for serious … Continue Reading
April 16, 2020
Van Hollen Calls For Immediate Funding, Fixes to Small Business Relief Programs
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement calling for increased funding and legislative fixes to address the needs of small businesses impacted by the coronavirus:“Small businesses need relief and fast. I hear daily from local businesses across Maryland about roadblocks to loans and delays in receiving funds. That’s why we need to fix the problems with the Paycheck Protection Program now. Both the Congress and the Administration must immediately take … Continue Reading
April 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Raskin, Trone Press Administration for Urgent Fixes to PPP to Help Maryland Small Businesses
Today, U.S Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representatives Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza, pressing them to immediately update guidance to address urgent concerns expressed to the Members by Maryland small business owners. As noted in their letter, small businesses continue to face serious challenges with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including the disbursement and use of the PPP … Continue Reading
April 16, 2020
Maryland Delegation Members Urge Governor to Address Rapidly Spreading COVID-19 Outbreak at State Prisons
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Jamie B. Raskin, Steny H. Hoyer, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Anthony G. Brown, and David Trone (all D-Md.) sent a letter to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, urging him to take steps to address the outbreak of COVID-19 within the State’s prisons. As the Members note, an outbreak within Maryland’s prison system threatens not only those incarcerated, but also corrections employees and the surrounding communities. … Continue Reading
April 15, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces more than $45 Million for Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund
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, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, today announced $45,657,990 for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund through the U.S. Department of Education. Provided through the CARES Act, the $3 billion allocated nationally through this fund is intended to support school districts and … Continue Reading
April 15, 2020
Van Hollen, Baldwin, Murray, Colleagues Press President Trump For Answers on Mismanagement of the Strategic National Stockpile
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and 16 Senate colleagues in calling on President Trump to provide answers on his administration’s mismanagement of the Strategic National Stockpile, which has left states without the federal assistance and supplies they need to combat this virus and save lives. “The COVID-19 pandemic threatens the overall health and safety of families across the country, in every single state. Dozens of states … Continue Reading
April 15, 2020
Van Hollen, Durbin, Senators Press President Trump to Automatically Extend Work Authorizations for DACA & TPS Recipients Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
As our nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 36 other Senators in a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to automatically extend work authorizations for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and other impacted immigrants.More than 200,000 DACA recipients are working in occupational areas the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) … Continue Reading
April 15, 2020
Van Hollen, Klobuchar, Cole, Finkenauer, Schneider, Colleagues Urge Administration to Increase Number of Doctors Available to Fight the Coronavirus Pandemic
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representatives Tom Cole (R-OK-04), Abby Finkenauer (D-IA-01), and Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), along with colleagues in both the House and Senate wrote to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) urging the Administration to waive restrictions that prevent doctors on certain employment-based visas - including doctors in the Conrad 30 program - from providing medical care at locations or in specialties other … Continue Reading
April 14, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $107 Million in COVID-19 Economic Relief for State Airports
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, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone, today announced the award of $107,731,472 for Maryland airports through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This funding includes $87,643,261 for Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International (BWI). The … Continue Reading
April 14, 2020
Maryland Delegation Urges HHS to Provide Emergency COVID-19 Funds to Hospitals, Health Care Providers, and Entities that Need Them Most
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, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, today sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar urging him to target future monies from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF) toward Maryland hospitals, health care providers, and other health care … Continue Reading
April 14, 2020
Van Hollen, Hassan, Colleagues Raise Concerns Over EPA's Refusal to Strengthen Air Quality Standards Amid COVID-19
Following the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) refusal to strengthen ambient air quality standards despite research showing its link to higher COVID-19 mortality, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and a group of their colleagues in raising concerns about the decision.“Today, EPA announced its decision to maintain current national ambient air quality standards that EPA’s own scientists say fail to protect public health - and that research links with … Continue Reading
April 14, 2020
Federal Delegation Offers Support, Assistance to Maryland Department of Labor to Ensure Marylanders Receive Critically Needed Unemployment Benefits
Today, 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, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone, sent a letter to Maryland Secretary of Labor Tiffany Robinson to offer support and assistance in ensuring Marylanders are able to receive unemployment benefits that are critically needed by many at this time. As noted in their letter, the … Continue Reading
April 14, 2020
Van Hollen, Democratic Senators Call for Boosted Lifeline Assistance Funding to Keep Americans Connected
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and a group of 26 senators in calling on Congressional leadership to commit at least $1 billion in funding for the Lifeline program in future coronavirus relief to meet the new connectivity needs of Americans. Since 1985, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s Lifeline program has made basic internet and telephone service more affordable for low-income Americans.“The Coronavirus and resulting public safety measures … Continue Reading
