Press Releases
Van Hollen, Maryland Congressional Delegation Lauds Funding for Howard Street Tunnel Project
Following a Maryland congressional delegation meeting with Maryland Secretary of Transportation Pete K. Rahn, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone released the following joint statement in response to the news that Maryland officials and CSX have identified additional funding to expand the Howard Street Tunnel. “We are pleased to hear that the State of Maryland and CSX have … Continue Reading
December 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Democrats Stand Up for Constitutionally Protected Right to Abortion; File Bicameral Amicus Brief in June Medical Services LLC v. Gee
Today, Senator Chris Van Hollen and members of the U.S. Senate led by Senators Chuck Schumer, Patty Murray, Dianne Feinstein and Richard Blumenthal, along with 161 members of the U.S. House of Representatives led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr., Jerrold Nadler, Diana DeGette, Barbara Lee and Judy Chu, filed an amicus brief in the case of June Medical Services LLC v. Gee, which is currently pending before the Supreme Court of the United States and represents a … Continue Reading
December 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Graham Urge Pompeo to Impose Sanctions on Turkey for Acquiring Russian S-400
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to impose sanctions on Turkey for its acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system. Under current law - and per Secretary Pompeo’s own interpretation - the Administration must act. The letter follows reports that Turkey is now testing the S-400 system. “Both the Administration and the Congress have repeatedly warned President Erdogan that his decision to move … Continue Reading
December 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Over $2.3 Million in Head Start Funding for Maryland Rural Development Corporation
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced $2,369,024 in federal funding for Head Start projects at the Maryland Rural Development Corporation. The funding was awarded through the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. The Maryland Rural Development Corporation provides Head Start services to families in Caroline, Cecil, and Harford Counties. “Investing in early childhood education is crucial to our students’ … Continue Reading
November 27, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Call on Amtrak To End Forced Arbitration, Ban On Class Actions
As thousands of Americans prepare to journey by train during the busy holiday travel season, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote Amtrak to “demand that Amtrak immediately eliminate [its] anti-consumer arbitration and class action policy.” In January, Amtrak implemented a broad new policy that not only prevents Amtrak riders, employees, and others from seeking justice in the courts, it also prohibits them from banding together in a group to seek … Continue Reading
November 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Democrats Slam Trump Administration Over Latest Walk Back from Strong Tobacco Regulation
Today, U.S. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 21 of their Democratic Senate colleagues sent a letter to President Trump criticizing his Administration’s alarming pattern of making decisions that prioritize tobacco companies’ profits over public health. The letter comes following recent news that the Trump Administration was backing down from previously promised steps to address nicotine addiction. This month the Trump Administration reversed course on its September … Continue Reading
November 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Whitehouse, Duckworth, and Merkley Blast Trump EPA Methane Rule as Giveaway to Fossil Fuel Industry
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) are taking the Trump Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to task for dramatically rolling back standards for methane emissions from oil and gas facilities, calling Trump’s methane proposal the product of a captured agency. In an official comment on the Trump administration’s methane rule, the senators lay out how the proposal would benefit oil and gas companies at the expense of … Continue Reading
November 26, 2019
Van Hollen Joins Senate Democrats in Urging HUD to Reject Proposed Changes to the Fair Housing Act's Disparate Impact Standard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined SenatorSherrod Brown (D-OH) along with forty-five senators sent a letter to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson, urging him to reject changes proposed in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) August 19, 2019 Proposed Rulemaking: HUD’s Implementation of the Fair Housing Act’s Disparate Impact Standard (the Proposed Rule). The Proposed Rule would effectively eliminate … Continue Reading
November 25, 2019
Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces $477,000 for Local Police Departments for DNA Processing
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) announced $477,000 in federal funding for the Baltimore County Police Department and the Baltimore City Police Crime Laboratory to process DNA samples. The Baltimore County Police Department will receive $225,000 and the Baltimore City Police Crime Laboratory will receive $252,000. The funding, awarded through the Department of Justice’s DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog … Continue Reading
November 25, 2019
Van Hollen, Senate Dems Urge HUD To Reject Proposed Changes To The Fair Housing Act’s Disparate Impact Standard
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) along with forty-four senators sent a letter to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson, urging him to reject changes proposed in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) August 19, 2019 Proposed Rulemaking: HUD’s Implementation of the Fair Housing Act’s Disparate Impact Standard (the Proposed Rule). The Proposed Rule would effectively eliminate use of the disparate impact … Continue Reading
November 22, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Slam Regulators For ‘Rent-A-Bank’ Arrangement
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and four of their colleagues wrote a letter opposing a proposed rule by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) that could eviscerate state laws that limit the interest rates on loans and allow unregulated predatory lending across the nation. In a letter to OCC Comptroller Joseph Otting and FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams, the Senators pushed back against the … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Van Hollen, Sarbanes Lead Bicameral Letter Urging House and Senate Conference Negotiators to Include Increased Funds for Chesapeake Bay Program
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representative John Sarbanes (both D-Md.) led a letter to House and Senate leadership, urging conference negotiators to include significant increases in funding to the Chesapeake Bay Program within the final Fiscal Year 2020 funding bill. Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee, and his Bay colleagues fought to pass an increase of $5.28 million - for a total $78.28 million - in the Republican-led Senate’s funding … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Van Hollen Leads Letter Opposing Potential Cuts to Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) wrote to Defense Secretary Mark Esper to raise serious objections to any proposed cuts to the budget of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). Based in Bethesda, Md., USU is a part of the military academy system and is the only medical and nursing school in the country that is dedicated to military and combat medicine. Educating military medical … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer, Sarbanes, Brown, Raskin, Trone Announce more than $11 Million for Metrobus Upgrades
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, John Sarbanes, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all-Md.) today announced the award of $11,040,000 for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for Metrobus system improvements from the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program (49 U.S.C. 5339). Part of a nearly $14 million statewide investment, this federal funding will support the … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce more than $1 Million for Eastern Shore Bus Upgrades
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today announced the award of nearly $1.1 million to the Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) for Eastern Shore bus system improvements from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program (49 U.S.C. 5339). Part of a nearly $14 million statewide investment, this federal funding will support the replacement of vehicles. The Shore Transit Project (Tri-County Council) will receive $850,000 and Delmarva … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce $76,500 for St. Mary’s County Bus Maintenance Facilities
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny Hoyer (all D-Md.) today announced the award of $76,500 to the Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) for St. Mary's County bus system improvements from the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program (49 U.S.C. 5339). Part of a nearly $14 million statewide investment, this federal funding will be used to expand vehicle maintenance facilities. "Modernizing our infrastructure and … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announce nearly $14 Million for Bus System Improvements Statewide
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced the award of more than $13,866,000 for the improvement and modernization of bus systems throughout Maryland from the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program (49 U.S.C. 5339). This federal funding will support the replacement, rehabilitation, purchase, or … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces $1.65 Million for New Towson Circulator
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) today announced the award of more than $1.65 million for Baltimore County to fund the Towson Circulator with a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program (49 U.S.C. 5339). Part of a nearly $14 million statewide investment, this federal funding will support the purchase of new buses and infrastructure for the Towson … Continue Reading
November 20, 2019
Van Hollen Introduces the Shutdown Guidance for Financial Institutions Act
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced the Shutdown Guidance for Financial Institutions Act. This legislation requires federal financial industry regulators to immediately issue guidance encouraging financial institutions to work with individuals and small businesses impacted by a government shutdown. Right now, this is happening far too slowly. During the last Trump Shutdown, it took 20 days for that guidance to be released - all while civil servants, federal contractors, … Continue Reading
November 20, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Urge MDTA to Support Nice Bridge Protected Bike/Pedestrian Lane
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) sent a letter to Maryland Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Chairman of the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Pete Rahn, urging the Board's support of a bike/pedestrian path in the contract for the proposed replacement of the Nice Bridge. The MDTA Board plans to vote on this proposal at tomorrow's meeting. The Senators write, "The Nice Bridge is vital to the economy of Charles County, Southern Maryland, … Continue Reading
