Press Releases
Van Hollen Joins Klobuchar in Renewing Calls to Immediately Restore Quorum at the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with jurisdiction over federal elections, in writing a letter to White House Counsel Pat Cipollone urging the Administration to immediately nominate the bipartisan pair of candidates that have been submitted to President Donald Trump by Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to fill the current vacancies at the Federal Election Commission (FEC). As of August, … Continue Reading
January 17, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Inhofe, Menendez, Senators in Sending Letter Congratulating Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen on Reelection
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joins U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), co-chairs of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, in sending a letter today congratulating President Tsai Ing-wen on reelection as President of Taiwan. They were also joined by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Joni Ernst … Continue Reading
January 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Leahy Urge Trump to Sanction Those Responsible for the Wrongful Detention and Death of American Citizen in Egypt
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) wrote to President Trump urging him to immediately sanction the Egyptian government officials responsible for the wrongful detention and death of Mustafa Kassem, an American citizen. The letter follows the Senators’ work to secure language with the FY 2020 Appropriations bill requiring the Secretary of State to deny U.S. visas to foreign officials involved in the wrongful imprisonment of U.S. citizens and nationals in … Continue Reading
January 16, 2020
Van Hollen Announces Independent GAO Report Showing Trump Administration Broke Law by Illegally Withholding Ukraine Aid
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement in response to the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report confirming that the Trump Administration broke the Impoundment Control Act in its withholding of aid from Ukraine. Senator Van Hollen requested GAO investigate this matter in a letter sent in December:"This bombshell legal opinion from the independent Government Accountability Office demonstrates, without a doubt, that the Trump Administration … Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Murray, Democrats, in Slamming NLRB Proposal to Strip Students Employed by Private Universities of Workplace Rights
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and 12 other Democratic senators, in opposing the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) proposal to deny students employed by their private colleges and universities their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). In a letter sent yesterday, the senators urged the NLRB to withdraw the proposed rule which would strip both … Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
Senators Van Hollen, Markey, Rubio, and Warren Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Counter Chinese Government Policy Banning Americans from Exiting China
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced legislation today to enhance accountability for Chinese officials involved in unjustly banning American citizens from leaving China. In recent years, officials have kept U.S. citizens - not themselves accused of committing a crime - from leaving China, often to pressure relatives wanted by the Chinese government. This unjust “exit ban” policy violates international … Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
Van Hollen Requests Unanimous Consent to Move Forward on DETER Act
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen requested Unanimous Consent that the Senate take up his bipartisan legislation, the DETER Act, to prevent Russia from interfering in U.S. elections. The Senator’s remarks, as delivered on the Senate floor, are below. Video of his remarks may be found here. Thank you, Mr. President. At this particular moment in our history, we are witnessing the convergence of three events. Tomorrow, the Senate will likely be sworn in for the impeachment trial of … Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Risch, Menendez, and Colleagues in Bipartisan Letter to Administration in Support of Burma's Elections
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ron Wyden (D-Wash.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Dan … Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Carper, Feinstein, and Murray in Demanding Answers from CBP Following Reports of Delays and Enhanced Screening for Americans of Iranian Descent
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del), senior Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), top Democrat on the Senate health committee, in writing a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark A. Morgan with questions and concerns regarding recent reports that, earlier this month, … Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Van Hollen, Warren Seek Insider Trading Probe Following Report that President Trump Informed Mar-a-Lago Guests in Advance of Iran Attack that Killed Major General Qasem Soleimani
United States Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment; and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) requesting that the agencies open investigations into whether there may … Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Murphy, Democratic Senators in Requesting Classified Briefing on Evidence Underlying "Imminent Attacks" on U.S. Embassies
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and seven other Democratic senators in requesting a briefing from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on the specific evidence underlying public claims made by President Trump and U.S. State Department Secretary Mike Pompeo that former Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was planning imminent attacks on multiple U.S. embassies. The … Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Van Hollen, Colleagues Successfully Fight to Make Protections for Federal Health Benefits During Government Shutdowns Law of the Land
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) fought to secure protections for federal healthcare benefits in the event of a government shutdown, and these measures were signed into law in December as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Similar bipartisan legislation was introduced in the House by the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who fought to … Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Van Hollen Statement on Support for USMCA
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding his vote in support of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA): “I look at the terms of each proposed trade agreement and ask a basic question: will the agreement generate more good-paying jobs and improve the quality of life for Marylanders? The original agreement negotiated by the Administration failed that test but, as a result of changes demanded by many of us in the House … Continue Reading
January 10, 2020
Van Hollen, Bay Members Press EPA on Enforcement of TMDL Pollution Reduction Targets
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen led a bicameral letter with 19 of his colleagues to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging the EPA to clarify its position on the enforcement of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) pollution reduction targets.The Members write, “We were deeply disturbed by reports that, at the January 3, 2020 meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Director Dana Aunkst reportedly … Continue Reading
January 08, 2020
Van Hollen Presses the Need for EPA to Enforce Bay Pollution Reduction Standards
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) questioned Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles at a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing on the importance of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL pollution reduction standards. The exchange came in response to the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Director’s recent remarks calling into question their role in enforcing the TMDL standards. A transcript of their exchange is available below. VAN HOLLEN: Thank you, Mr. … Continue Reading
December 23, 2019
Van Hollen asks GAO for Independent Legal Opinion on ICA and Trump Withholding Aid to Ukraine
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) for an independent legal opinion on whether President Trump broke the law by withholding aid from Ukraine in violation of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) - in addition to it being a flagrant abuse of power. The letter follows the Senator’s questions to GAO at the Senate Budget Committee on the same issue.“I am writing to follow up on the questions regarding the Impoundment Control … Continue Reading
December 22, 2019
Van Hollen Joins Face the Nation to Discuss Impeachment, North Korea Sanctions
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined CBS’s Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation to discuss impeachment and his recently-passed North Korea sanctions legislation. A transcript of their conversation is available below: MARGARET BRENNAN: And we now turn to the other side of the table, literally and figuratively. A Maryland Democratic senator, Chris Van Hollen. Good to have you here. SENATOR CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: It's good to be with you, Margaret. MARGARET BRENNAN: So you … Continue Reading
December 20, 2019
Van Hollen Statement on EPA Chesapeake Bay WIP Evaluations
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s release of their evaluation of the Chesapeake Bay States’ Phase III Watershed Implementation Plans: “Protecting and preserving the Chesapeake Bay requires that every state in the watershed do its part. That’s why, in 2010, the Bay Watershed states and the EPA agreed to the landmark Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint, with a commitment and timetable to … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
Van Hollen Statement on Appropriations Package
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the FY 2020 appropriations package: “I’m pleased that today the Senate was able to pass legislation to fund important investments throughout our state and our country. These bills include a number of key provisions for Maryland - including a historic increase in funds to protect and preserve the Chesapeake Bay. They also provide increased resources to the NIH to achieve their mission of … Continue Reading
December 18, 2019
Van Hollen Secures Language to Protect Alzheimer’s Stamp in Year-End Funding Agreement
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced the inclusion of his language to protect the Alzheimer’s Semipostal Stamp within the final FY 2020 appropriations package, which will be voted on this week. The stamp raises funds for Alzheimer’s research and has been in circulation since 2017, but despite its success, the USPS stopped selling it in November. In an effort to extend the sale of the stamp, Senator Van Hollen introduced an amendment within the Appropriations Committee directing USPS … Continue Reading
