Press Releases
Van Hollen Statement on the Closing of Verso Paper Mill in Luke, Maryland
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the announced closure of the Verso paper mill in Luke, Maryland: "I am deeply disappointed with the Verso Corporation's decision to close the paper mill in Luke, Maryland. Given the mill's long history in the area and the years of dedicated service of its workers, this decision is even more frustrating. My office has already been in touch with local leaders, and Team Maryland is working together to … Continue Reading
April 30, 2019
Van Hollen Appoints New Senate Page from Caroline County
Emily Thompson from Denton will serve in the U.S. Capitol during the Summer Session Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced the appointment of Emily Thompson from Denton, MD - a rising senior at North Caroline High School - as a Senate page for the Summer 2019 session. Emily will have the opportunity to work in the Senate chamber to assist with day-to-day operations in the Capitol from July 8th through August 2nd. Senator Van Hollen, Emily Thompson, and Caroline County School … Continue Reading
April 30, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Block Online E-Cigarette Sales to Minors
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today introduced the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act. This bipartisan bill would prevent online sales of electronic cigarettes to minors by applying the same safeguards already in place for regular cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. "Since the introduction of e-cigarettes, we've seen their use among children and teens skyrocket. Bringing regulations for this highly … Continue Reading
April 29, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Demand CFPB Maintain Home Mortgage Disclosure Database
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) along with eight Senators are demanding that CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger reverse her decision to remove Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Explorer and the Public Data Platform Application Programming Interface (API) from the CFPB website. HMDA data is a primary tool to measure trends and disparities in mortgage credit access, and CFPB's HMDA Explorer and API have made it easier for local organizations without sophisticated data analytics tools to … Continue Reading
April 29, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Cummings Announce More than $1 Million in FEMA Funding for Baltimore County
Latest Federal Relief for May 2018 Flash Flooding Reimburses County for Thistle Road Repairs U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative Elijah E. Cummings (all D-Md.) have announced more than $1 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for road repairs in Catonsville, Maryland. This funding represents the most recent portion of federal relief for the flash floods which devastated Howard County, Baltimore County, … Continue Reading
April 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators to EPA: Change Course and Extend Methylene Chloride Protections to Workers
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) join a group of Senate Democrats in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Assistant EPA Administrator Alexandra Dunn decrying the agency's March decision to exclude commercial applications from a ban on the use of methylene chloride, a lethal and likely carcinogenic chemical found in many paint strippers. In the letter, the senators wrote that allowing its continued commercial use flies in the … Continue Reading
April 24, 2019
Van Hollen Announces Service Academy Applications Now Being Accepted
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that his office is now accepting applications from students in Maryland for nominations to one of the Uniformed Service Academies for the class of 2024. All applications and supporting materials must be received electronically by 5:00 pm on September 30, 2019. More information and the online application can be found here. Qualified applicants will interview with Senator Van Hollen's Service Academy Advisory Board on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at the … Continue Reading
April 24, 2019
Van Hollen, Lee Call on OPM to Rescind Potential New Hiring Rules
Senators Call the Proposal "a Solution in Search of a Problem" U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) have written to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Acting Director Margaret Weichert urging her to revoke the current Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 84 FR 5733, which would expand the seven-year criminal background check lookback to include participation in any pretrial diversion or intervention programs. "In December, Congress passed and the President signed The … Continue Reading
April 19, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce More Than $17 Million in Funding for Maryland AmeriCorps
1,219 Members will serve in Maryland in the Organization's 25th Year U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today announced more than $17 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency responsible for AmeriCorps. "For 25 years, AmeriCorps members have been doing vital work throughout Maryland and the country. They are committed to serving the greater good -- from cleaning up the Bay, to helping those … Continue Reading
April 18, 2019
Van Hollen, Blunt Announce New Bill to Honor WWI Minority Veterans
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) announced the World War I Valor Medals Review Act, new bipartisan legislation that will ensure that minority Veterans who served during WWI get the recognition they deserve. It would require the Department of Defense to undertake a review of valor medals awarded to minority Veterans during WWI to determine whether any should receive the Medal of Honor. This review would be conducted in consultation with the WWI Centennial … Continue Reading
April 17, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Call on Subcommittee Chairman to Secure Funding for Job Training for Older Americans
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined a group of Senators in calling for $400 million of federal funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), the only federal employment program dedicated to helping older Americans return to the workforce. In a letter to Subcommittee Chairman Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the Senators emphasized the critical role SCSEP plays in helping seniors update their skills, save for … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
Van Hollen Joins Colleagues in Requesting Increased Funding in FY2020 Budget for Title X Program
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined a group of Democratic colleagues in calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to request that the FY 2020 budget include $400 million for the Title X family planning program. Title X health centers rely on federal funding to provide essential preventive health and family planning services to millions of low-income Americans. Title X has been shown to save taxpayers money in the long run by saving in Medicaid-related costs. It is estimated that … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
Van Hollen, Colleagues Announce Introduction of Resolution to Restore Humanitarian Aid to the West Bank and Gaza
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), today announced the introduction of a Senate resolution to restore U.S. humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza. Van Hollen was joined on the resolution by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Coons (D-DE), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). "President Trump's inhumane and dangerous decision to end all humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians - including millions of children - … Continue Reading
April 15, 2019
Van Hollen Leads Bipartisan Letter Urging Increased Funding for Affordable Housing
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is leading 40 of his colleagues on a bipartisan letter urging increased funding for the Section 4 Capacity Building program. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Section 4 Program works with local community development organizations to improve affordable housing, finance small businesses, and provide for other community needs. Last year alone, Maryland organizations received over $445,000 in funding under Section 4 and recipients … Continue Reading
April 12, 2019
Van Hollen Leads Letter Urging Extension of New START Treaty with Russia
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen led a letter with 23 Democratic Senators urging President Trump to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with Russia for another five years. This week marked the ninth anniversary of the signing of the treaty. "Without inhibiting the ability of the United States to maintain a survivable, reliable, and effective nuclear deterrent, New START has advanced the security interests of the United States and underpinned strategic stability with … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Senate Democrats Unveil Legislation to Cut Taxes for Workers & Families
Ahead of tax day, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced the Working Families Tax Relief Act. At a time when wages are stagnant and the cost of childcare has exploded, the Working Families Tax Relief Act would cut taxes for workers and families by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). EITC and CTC are two of the most effective tools … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Van Hollen Cosponsors New Legislation to Provide Federal Workers with Paid Family Leave
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) cosponsored the Federal Employees Paid Leave Act, new legislation that would provide federal employees with 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child or a sick loved one. Although the Family and Medical Leave Act allows employees to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave to tend to medical and family issues, it does not provide any paid leave. Studies have shown that providing paid leave for federal employees would save the government at least $50 million … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Van Hollen Statement on David Bernhardt
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement regarding his vote opposing the confirmation of David Bernhardt as Secretary of the Department of the Interior: "The Department of the Interior oversees the protection of America's natural treasures - our vast public lands, our diverse wildlife, and our environment. But David Bernhardt's record makes one thing clear: these treasures are not his first priority. Instead, he's spent his career, both as a former oil lobbyist and in … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Introduce New Legislation to Tackle Nationwide Digital Equity Gap
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined a group of Senate Democrats in introducing new legislation aimed at closing the growing digital divide in communities across the country. The Digital Equity Act of 2019 creates new federal investments targeted toward a diverse array of projects at the state and local level that promote "digital equity"- a concept defined by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance as the "condition in which all individuals and communities have the information … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Sen. Van Hollen, Rep. Lee introduce Bicameral Bill to Invest in Our Students and Fully Fund Title I, Special Education
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Susie Lee (D-Nev.) introduced the Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers (PACT) Act, which would put Congress on a fiscally-responsible path to meet its obligation to fully fund Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) on a mandatory basis over the next 10 years. "Every child in our country deserves access to a quality education. But for too long, Congress has fallen short on our … Continue Reading
