Press Releases
Van Hollen, Cotton Praise Huawei Charges, Urge Further Action
Following reports that the U.S. Department of Justice brought charges of racketeering and stealing trade secrets against the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) released the following statement:“The Huawei indictment exposes its plot to undermine America’s economy and security on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. We commend the Justice Department for bringing these charges, but more should be done to stop … Continue Reading
February 13, 2020
Van Hollen, Merkley Introduce Legislation Requiring Witnesses and Documents for Future Impeachment Trials
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) today introduced new legislation that would require the Senate to consider evidence and hear from witnesses in future impeachment trials. The Senators’ resolution follows the conclusion last week of the first-ever Senate impeachment trial that did not include any witness testimony. The Merkley-Van Hollen resolution would ensure the rights of both sides to call relevant witnesses and introduce relevant evidence in any future … Continue Reading
February 13, 2020
Van Hollen, Colleagues Introduce the Medical License Verification Act
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) , John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the Medical License Verification Act to prevent fraud in the healthcare system by requiring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to verify that an applicant’s medical license is valid and in good standing prior to issuing them a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number, which is required by healthcare providers to bill for insurance. … Continue Reading
February 12, 2020
Van Hollen, Young, Durbin, & Graham Request State Department Assessment of Situation in Kashmir and of Religious Minorities in India
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requesting an assessment of the human rights situation in Kashmir and of the rights of religious minorities in India. The Senators begin, “We write as longtime friends of India regarding some of the troubling actions taken by the current government. More than six months after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Sullivan Introduce China Reciprocity Legislation
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Security, today introduced the True Reciprocity Act of 2020, legislation to address the substantial imbalance in the relationship between the United States and China across a number of sectors, including diplomacy, trade, communications, and education. Specifically, the legislation directs the … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Van Hollen Vows to Once Again Fight Back Against President’s Proposed Cuts to Bay Funding
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is vowing to once again fight back against President Trump’s proposed budget cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program. As in previous years, the President’s Budget proposal includes drastic cuts to the Bay program, funding it at only $7.3 million, which is less than a tenth of what the program received last year. “A clean Chesapeake Bay is crucial to the health and success of Maryland’s Bay economy. President Trump’s … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Democrats Request Action on Energy Tax Policy
To help address the growing threat of climate change, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), joined Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and 26 other Democratic senators in requesting that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) take action on languishing energy tax policy priorities. The letter is signed by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ben Cardin … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Warren, Colleagues Seek Probe into Whether Trump Administration's Delay of Puerto Rico Disaster Recovery Funds Violated Same Law as Delay of Ukraine Security Aid
United States Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Representatives Joaquín Castro (D-Texas), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and José E. Serrano (D-N.Y.), in writing to the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) requesting an inquiry into whether the … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Achieve Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the U.S. by No Later Than 2050
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), joined Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) along with 31 other Senators in introducing legislation that would put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050.This net-zero legislation is supported collectively by major environmental groups, business groups and organized labor.The world’s leading scientists have warned that humanity … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Van Hollen, Brown, Sanders, Baldwin Demand Answers from Amazon as Work-Related Injuries Continue to Rise
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) are demanding answers from Amazon as work-related injuries at the company’s facilities continued to rise over the holidays, and recent reports indicate poor and unsafe working conditions. In a letter sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the Senators urged the company to put worker safety ahead of profits, and to do more to prevent and protect workers from work-related injuries.The Senators’ … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Van Hollen Statement on President’s Proposed Budget
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees, released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal:“President Trump’s proposed budget is an assault on hard-working middle-class families, senior citizens, and those struggling to get by. It guts healthcare programs, slashes educational programs and student loans, and shreds the social safety net - all to pay for his tax cuts for … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Murray, Feinstein, Senate Democrats in Letter Requesting Answers on ICE Treatment of Transgender Detainees
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), as well as Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Matthew T. Albence, demanding to know whether ICE is taking the necessary steps to accommodate transgender migrants in their … Continue Reading
February 07, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Duckworth, Bustos, Colleagues in Sending a Letter to PJM Advocating for Affordable Clean Energy
This week, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and 18 Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to Manu Asthana, President and CEO of PJM Interconnection, to urge a delay in PJM’s annual capacity auctions so states can mitigate the expansion of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)’s Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) and understand how this decision will impact consumers. FERC’s recent decision directs … Continue Reading
February 06, 2020
Van Hollen, Northeast Senators Demand Railroad Agency Turn the Gears on Critically Needed Updates to Northeast Commuter Network
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with a group of fourteen other senators from all eight states along the Northeast Corridor, in urging the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to finalize and approve plans to immediately advance the Hudson Tunnel Project, a critical element of the Gateway Project. The Gateway Project refers to a set of transportation infrastructure improvements on the bustling Northeast Corridor rail network, … Continue Reading
February 06, 2020
Baltimore Delegation Announces $4.8 Million in Federal Funding to Support Affordable Housing for Baltimore Seniors
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) announced more than $4.8 million in federal funding to support affordable housing options for Baltimore seniors. Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc (CHAI) will receive $3,734,840 for the development of Woodland Gardens Elderly Housing project in northwest Baltimore, and CSI Support and Development Services will receive $1,141,097 to build seven new units at the … Continue Reading
February 05, 2020
Van Hollen, Young Release Statements on New START Anniversary
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) released the following statements regarding the ninth anniversary of the implementation of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). The treaty, which will expire a year from today, preserves crucial caps on Russia’s nuclear capabilities. In August, Senators Van Hollen and Young introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the Treaty until 2026.“It’s crucial that we preserve effective, verifiable limits on Russia’s … Continue Reading
February 05, 2020
Van Hollen Statement on Impeachment Vote
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the Senate vote on the articles of impeachment:“It is the constitutional obligation of each senator to weigh the evidence before us and render a final verdict on the two articles. Today, in line with my constitutional duty, I voted to convict the President on both charges of impeachment and to remove him from office. On the charge of Abuse of Power, the House managers presented overwhelming evidence, as … Continue Reading
February 05, 2020
Maryland Delegation Members Seek Answers on Funding for Maryland Army Installations
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin as well as Congressmen David Trone, Dutch Ruppersberger, Jamie Raskin, and Anthony Brown (all D-Md.) raised concerns in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper regarding funding for the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick and the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) at Aberdeen Proving Ground. On Thursday of last week, the members were … Continue Reading
February 04, 2020
Van Hollen Statement on Promotion of Charles McGee to Brigadier General
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement congratulating Charles McGee on his promotion to Brigadier General: “I salute Brigadier General Charles McGee for his extraordinary service to our country. I am proud to have teamed up with Representative Anthony Brown to pass this legislation and to provide Colonel McGee with this honorary promotion to Brigadier General. Thank you, General, for your sacrifice to our nation, and again, happy 100th birthday!” … Continue Reading
February 04, 2020
Van Hollen Statement on President Trump’s State of the Union Address
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding President Trump’s State of the Union address. “This evening, President Trump had the opportunity to put forward an agenda to unite our country behind a common sense of purpose. Instead, he drove deeper divisions and continued to advance policies that, when stripped of nice-sounding rhetoric, serve the interests of super-wealthy elites at the expense of hard-working Americans. Tonight he proposed to give … Continue Reading