Press Releases
Van Hollen Statement on Janus Decision
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision in the Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees case. “Today, the Supreme Court dealt another blow to working people and further rigged the rules in favor of wealthy special interests. The right to organize is an underlying principle of our democracy, and unions have long helped Americans fight for fair treatment and fair wages. While … Continue Reading
June 26, 2018
Van Hollen Provision Providing $5 Million in New Funding for Paid Senate Internships Passes Full Senate
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, applauded the Senate’s overwhelming passage of his provision dedicating $5 million in new funding for the sole purpose of providing financial compensation to interns in Senate offices. Senator Van Hollen’s bipartisan amendment - which he worked on with Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) - was … Continue Reading
June 26, 2018
Van Hollen, Rubio, Cotton Urge Commerce Dept To Grant Waivers To Customers Removing ZTE Technology
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) today urged the Department of Commerce to provide guidance and waivers to telecommunications operators and other customers wishing to remove ZTE software, hardware, and technology from their network infrastructure and suppliers seeking to provide alternative products to these customers. The full text of the letter to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross is below: Dear Secretary Ross: We write to urge the Commerce … Continue Reading
June 25, 2018
Van Hollen, Cardin Secure Maryland Wins in Senate-Passed Funding Bill
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin applauded Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2019 Energy and Water, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill. As part of this legislation, the Senators worked to secure critical funding for several port maintenance projects in Maryland - including the Port of Baltimore, Knapps Narrows, Poplar Island, and Mid-Chesapeake Bay. This legislation also supports our nation’s veterans by providing $2 … Continue Reading
June 22, 2018
Van Hollen, Durbin Lead Letter Calling Attention to Trump Administration’s Slashing of Refugee Admissions
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) led a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen joined by 31 Senators expressing their serious concerns about the severe drop in refugee admissions into the United States. Wednesday marked World Refugee Day, which is an international effort to raise awareness of the situation of refugees. This Administration has demonstrated an unprecedented hostility to … Continue Reading
June 21, 2018
Baltimore Congressional Delegation Sends Letter to Department of Labor in Support of Baltimore City Schools Teachers Facing Deportation
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin along with Representatives Elijah E. Cummings, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) have written a letter to Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta urging prompt consideration of the Baltimore City Public School System’s (City Schools) Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) audit. Without a timely resolution by the Department of Labor, 25 longtime City Schools teachers are at risk of deportation. “Without a decision made on the … Continue Reading
June 21, 2018
Van Hollen Announces Federal Employee Pay Increase Included in Senate Appropriations Bill
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced a 1.9 percent pay increase for federal employees as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, which unanimously passed in the Senate Appropriations Committee. President Trump’s most recent budget proposed a total pay freeze for civil servants, even as the cost of living increases for middle-class families. This legislation, while not perfect, is a strong rebuke to those kinds of attacks on the … Continue Reading
June 21, 2018
Van Hollen Announces New Effort to Help Constituents Access Information About Family Members Detained at the Border
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he successfully secured language as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill to help Members of Congress better serve constituents who are looking for information about family members who have been detained at the border and potentially separated from their children. Currently, when people are taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), it is … Continue Reading
June 21, 2018
Van Hollen Announces New Reporting Requirements on the Trump Travel Ban
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he successfully secured language as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act that would ensure that the public has access to information on President Trump’s travel ban, including the number of visa waivers granted to citizens of the banned countries. To date, the administration has provided no transparency about how the ban is being administered. Senator Van Hollen has repeatedly … Continue Reading
June 21, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Language to Help Flood Mitigation Efforts in Maryland
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he successfully secured language encouraging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide assistance to States in updating their flood mitigation plans as a part of the Fiscal Year 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. This language will ensure that mitigation plans take into account the needs of communities with multiple recent Presidentially declared disasters - including communities in Maryland like Ellicott City. … Continue Reading
June 21, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Critical Funding for Maryland Projects in Homeland Security Appropriations Bill
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he successfully secured millions in federal investment for critical Maryland projects as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. “From research labs that are vital to keeping our nation safe, to ensuring the Coast Guard’s fleet is well-maintained and ready to act, this bill includes key priorities that support jobs in Maryland and our national security,” said Senator Van Hollen. “Military bases and federal … Continue Reading
June 21, 2018
Van Hollen Statement on Family Separation
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement regarding President Trump’s Family Separation Executive Order and his continued policy of ‘Zero-Tolerance’ impacting asylum-seekers coming to the United States:“President Trump finally bent to public pressure to reverse his despicable child separation policy, but his new executive order does nothing to reunite the children who have already been taken from their parents and appears to subject children to indefinite … Continue Reading
June 21, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Amendment to Halt the Transfer of F-35s to Turkey Until Secretary of State Certifies Turkey Will Not Acquire Russian S-400 Missile Defense System
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he successfully secured language as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act that would expressly prohibit spending funds from Fiscal Year 2019 - as well as prior fiscal years - to transfer, or facilitate the transfer, of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Turkey until the Secretary of State certifies that Turkey isn’t purchasing and won’t accept deliveries of the Russian S-400 missile … Continue Reading
June 19, 2018
Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Urge Trump to Reconsider, Rescind Civil Service Executive Orders
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen led a letter with 44 of his Senate Democratic colleagues noting their serious concerns surrounding the President’s recent executive orders pertaining to civil service. The Senators urged the Administration to reconsider and rescind the Orders, pointing to the negative impacts they will have. The Senators write, “We respectfully request that you reconsider and rescind Executive Orders 13836, 13837, and 13839, which undermine the lawful rights and … Continue Reading
June 18, 2018
Joint Statement By Senators Schumer, Cotton, Van Hollen, And Rubio On Senate Passage Of Bipartisan ZTE Amendment In Defense Bill
Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) today released the following statement on the passage of a bipartisan ZTE amendment in the defense bill: “We’re heartened that both parties made it clear that protecting American jobs and national security must come first when making deals with countries like China, which has a history of having little regard for either. It is vital that our colleagues in the House keep this … Continue Reading
June 14, 2018
Van Hollen Announces $5 Million in New Funding for Paid Senate Internships
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $5 million in new funding in the Fiscal Year 2019 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for the sole purpose of providing financial compensation to interns in Senate offices. Senator Van Hollen’s bipartisan amendment - which he worked on with Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) - was adopted unanimously and passed … Continue Reading
June 14, 2018
Van Hollen Secures New FBI HQ Language in CJS Appropriations Bill
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he successfully secured new language on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters location as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 Senate Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill. The legislation sends a clear message that the Senate has deep concerns with the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) recent proposal to keep the FBI at its current location and that at least one of the three original proposed sites should … Continue Reading
June 14, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Funding For Important Criminal Justice Programs in Senate Funding Bills
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced a number of critical Maryland priorities that were included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. “This appropriations bill makes critical investments in keeping our country safe, combating the opioid epidemic, and improving community policing. I’m also pleased that it includes my effort to support cities like Baltimore, which … Continue Reading
June 14, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Bay Priorities in Senate Funding Bills
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the inclusion of several Maryland priorities within the Senate Appropriations Committee’s release of two major funding bills. These priorities were included in the Fiscal Year 2019 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill and the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Most notably, Senator Van Hollen worked to secure full funding of $73 … Continue Reading
June 14, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Priorities for Wallops Island, Space Innovation in Senate Funding Bill
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the inclusion of several Maryland priorities in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This legislation will invest in national security, law enforcement, and American scientific innovation. It also provides funding for three agencies that have a major presence in Maryland: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), … Continue Reading
