Press Releases
Van Hollen, Cardin, Senate Democrats Demand DeVos Take Immediate Action To Fix Gross Mismanagement Of Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Letter Follows GAO Report Showing Administration has Rejected 99 Percent of TEPSLF Applicants and Used Only Four Percent of Appropriated Funds This week, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) joined Senate Democrats, including Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA), in sending a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos demanding that the Department of Education take immediate action to rectify serious flaws in … Continue Reading
October 10, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Press FHWA on Highway Guardrail Safety
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have written to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Nicole Nason to press for an update on improving highway guardrail safety. In June 2016, FHWA received number of recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to address this issue; however, three of the five recommendations have yet to be resolved. In February 2018, Maryland resident Pfc. Michael Carter Jr. died in a car accident involving a … Continue Reading
October 10, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $168,000 for Allegany County First Responders
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $168,000 in federal funding for fire departments in Allegany County. The funding, awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, includes: $95,238 for the Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department to purchase a gear washer and to install a diesel exhaust extraction system, which removes harmful carcinogens from fire engines idling in … Continue Reading
October 09, 2019
Van Hollen, Graham Announce Framework for Sanctions Against Turkey
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement announcing a framework for sanctions against Turkey in response to their recent military aggression in northeastern Syria with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). A link to the framework is available here: “Today Senator Lindsey Graham and I are announcing a framework to place immediate sanctions on senior Turkish government officials, prohibit all U.S. military business and U.S. military transactions with Turkey, and … Continue Reading
October 09, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $652,500 for Infrastructure Improvements in Garrett County
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $652,500 in federal funding to support infrastructure improvement projects in Garrett County. The funding, awarded through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), includes: $455,000 to the Board of County Commissioners of Garrett County to help construct a new water treatment plant at the Keyser's Ridge Business Park in Oakland, Md. The new treatment plant will include a modular … Continue Reading
October 09, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce over $121,000 for Volunteer Fire Departments in Prince George’s County
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny Hoyer (all D-Md.) announced $121,904 in federal funding for volunteer fire departments in Prince George's County. The funding includes $71,428 for the Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad to purchase and install two self-loading power cot stretcher units and two new stair chairs and $50,476 for the Brandywine Volunteer Fire Department to replace hydraulic rescue tools, which are outdated and beyond their … Continue Reading
October 08, 2019
Van Hollen, Members of Congress Demand Bank Regulators Strengthen, Not Weaken the Community Reinvestment Act
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, along with 28 members of Congress sent a letter to the heads of the Federal Reserve, OCC and FDIC demanding that the three banking agencies not issue a proposed rule unless it has the support of the community development and civil rights groups that represent the communities the Community Reinvestment Act was designed to serve. "Policies that restrict access to credit and banking, such as those that result in redlining, have perpetuated a long legacy of … Continue Reading
October 07, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce over $1 Million to Prevent Opioid Abuse in Maryland
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny Hoyer (all D-Md.) announced $1,099,865 in federal funding for the University of Maryland, College Park for their Strengthening the Capacity of Rural Maryland to Address Opioid Misuse project. The funding, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), will go toward preventing opioid misuse in rural Maryland. This project aims to increase the number of trained … Continue Reading
October 07, 2019
Van Hollen, Congressional Leaders File Bipartisan Amicus Brief in Support of DACA in the Supreme Court
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (Both D-Md.), together with 49 senators and 123 U.S. Representatives and former lawmakers have filed a bipartisan amicus brief in the Supreme Court in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on DACA on November 12, 2019. President Trump terminated the DACA program on September 5, 2017, throwing the lives of nearly 800,000 Dreamers into chaos. "Dreamers were brought to America as … Continue Reading
October 04, 2019
Van Hollen, Senate Colleagues Urge HHS to Act to Stop Youth E-cigarette Epidemic
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined a group of 12 senators to urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take long overdue steps to stop the youth e-cigarette epidemic. In a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, the Senators called on HHS to “advance policies to help prevent more adolescents from getting hooked on e-cigarettes, and prioritize solutions to help America’s youth quit e-cigarettes, by expediting and focusing on the development of effective cessation … Continue Reading
October 04, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Urge Trump Administration To Protect Health Coverage For People With Preexisting Conditions
Letter requests HHS and CMS to limit push of "junk" health insurance plans that cover less and cost more U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) joined Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and 37 others in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to protect individuals with preexisting conditions by limiting the proliferation of "junk plans" - short-term insurance plans that can exclude coverage for … Continue Reading
October 04, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $1 Million for Frederick Community College Emergency Management Training
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $1,000,000 in federal funding for the Mid-Atlantic Center for Emergency Management and Public Safety at Frederick Community College in Frederick, Md. The funds were awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Homeland Security National Training Program/Continuing Training Grants, which supports training to prepare communities to prevent, respond to, and recover from hazardous … Continue Reading
October 04, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Brown Announce more than $8.5 Million for Anne Arundel County Firefighters
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, and Anthony G. Brown (all D-Md.) are applauding the recent award of more than $8,549,000 in federal funds for Anne Arundel County through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. These funds will enable the county to hire additional career firefighters. Odenton … Continue Reading
October 03, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Press Hogan on Census Concerns
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) sent a letter to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to press for an update on the status of Maryland's census preparations. The letter underlines a number of concerns the Senators have regarding Maryland's preparedness to ensure that all residents are counted. The Senators begin, "We are writing to request an update on the status of Maryland's plans to achieve a complete count in the 2020 census. As you know, the census is a … Continue Reading
October 03, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce Nearly $1 Million for Garrett County First Responders
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $996,348 in federal funding for Garrett County and the Bittinger Volunteer Fire Department to purchase new equipment. The funding, awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, includes: $89,286 for the Bittinger Volunteer Fire Department to purchase 15 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units and 15 spare air cylinders. … Continue Reading
October 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Hail $150,000 Federal Grant for Forest Industry to Support Economic Development Across Maryland
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative David Trone (all D-Md.) hailed the announcement of a $150,000 federal grant from the Economic Development Administration to the Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council. The grant would support the development of the Forestry Economic Strategy, an action plan for countering the economic impact of mill closures across the state of Maryland including the closure of Verso's mill in Luke, Maryland earlier this … Continue Reading
October 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Hoyer, Brown Announce more than $1.1 Million for Prince George’s County Firefighters
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny Hoyer and Anthony G. Brown (all D-Md.) today announced more than $1.1 million in federal funds for Prince George's County firefighters through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. The West Lanham Hills Volunteer Fire Department will receive $625,450 and the Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue … Continue Reading
October 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce more than $8 Million for Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative Steny Hoyer (all D-Md.) applaud the recent award of more than $8 million in federal funding for a significant expansion of the Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA). These federal funds will support the construction of 6,000 pre-placed crypts, 500 standard burial plots, roads, irrigation, landscaping, and supporting infrastructure. "We owe a deep … Continue Reading
October 01, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $1.5 Million for National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in Emmitsburg
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $1.5 million in federal funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) in Emmitsburg through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fire Prevention & Safety Grants program. The NFFF will use this funding to support a study on firefighter safety. "Firefighters put their lives on the line every day, and they deserve not only our … Continue Reading
October 01, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Raskin Announce more than $270,000 for Firefighter Staffing in Westminster
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative Jaime Raskin (all D-Md.) today announced $273,670 in federal funds through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. 1 will use the funding to improve recruitment of new firefighters and retention of existing members. "The men and women of the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose … Continue Reading
