Press Releases
Team Maryland Works to Defend Marylanders from the Repercussions of Repealing the Affordable Care Act
As Republicans continue to flounder publicly and behind closed doors in their attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, members of Maryland's Congressional delegation gathered Wednesday to hear from state officials and health care experts how Marylanders would be affected. U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, with Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Anthony Brown, John K. Delaney, Jamie Raskin, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and John P. Sarbanes held an in-depth discussion with Maryland … Continue Reading
March 02, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Dr. Ben Carson
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record in opposition to the confirmation of Dr.Ben Carson to be Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development: "Mr. President, Congress created the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1965 to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all Americans. During last year's Presidential campaign, however, President Trump often called into question … Continue Reading
March 02, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Gov. Rick Perry to be Energy Secretary
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record in opposition to the confirmation ofGovernor Rick Perry to be Secretary of the Department of Energy: "Mr. President, I oppose the nomination of Governor Rick Perry to be Secretary of the Department of Energy, a Department that he called for eliminating in 2011. After briefings on the Department's mission and programs, Governor Perry came to "regret" that position. But his short education on his … Continue Reading
March 01, 2017
Team Maryland Calls on U.S. Attorney, FBI to Investigate Hate Crimes in Maryland, Following Local and National Anti-Semitic Threats and Incidents
Maryland's bipartisan Congressional delegation, led by Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, with Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Anthony Brown, Elijah E. Cummings, John K. Delaney, Andy Harris, Jamie Raskin, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and John P. Sarbanes have written to Rod Rosenstein, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and his counterpart at the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Gordon B. Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, Baltimore, to use "the full resources of the Justice … Continue Reading
March 01, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $450,000 Infrastructure Grant for Frostburg
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced new federal funding for the City of Frostburg. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will provide $450,000 to make infrastructure improvements to Frostburg Gateway at the terminus of Braddock Road. It will create approximately 64 new jobs, retain 40 existing jobs, and ultimately improve connections between Interstate 68, Frostburg State University, and the city center. "Investing in our nation's infrastructure is a … Continue Reading
March 01, 2017
Cardin, Van Hollen and Fellow Senators Call On Mitch McConnell to Drop Republican Efforts to Gut Family Planning Centers
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (Both D-Md.) and fellow senators today sent a letter to Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) calling on him to "protect the health and wellbeing of millions of women" by committing not to bring to the Senate floor legislation passed by House Republicans seeking to overturn rules protecting Title X health centers. "For women in every U.S. state and especially in rural and struggling communities, Title X health centers are a vital resource for … Continue Reading
February 28, 2017
Van Hollen Introduces Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Bob Casey (D-Penn.) to introduce legislation to lower the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs by allowing Americans to import safe, low-cost medicine from Canada. Reps. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) introduced a companion bill in the House. Both measures would authorize the secretary of Health and Human Services in two years to allow importation from other … Continue Reading
February 28, 2017
Van Hollen Condemns Recent Anti-Semitic and Hateful Incidents
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement condemning recent threats to Jewish community centers and otherhateful and discriminatory acts: "In Maryland and across the country, Americans are being threatened and attacked for what they believe and where they are from. There's no doubt that this epidemic of anti-Semitism and racism stems from the so-called leaders who have emboldened those who preach hate and stoke fear. We will not waver in our commitment to protect … Continue Reading
February 28, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Trump’s Address to Congress
TodayU.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement on President Trump's address to the Joint Session of Congress: "As he said tonight, President Trump has had a busy first month in office - but his actions have not kept his promises to put working families first. "He has failed to put forward an economic plan or offer a concrete proposal for sustained job creation. And he failed to drain the swamp in Washington, instead installing Wall Street billionaires in his Cabinet and … Continue Reading
February 28, 2017
Van Hollen, Tester, Franken, Hassan, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Strengthen Education for America’s Troops and Veterans
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Jon Tester, Ranking Member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, and Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in introducing legislation to ensure that America's veterans have access to educational opportunities. The Senators' Educational Development (ED) for Troops and Veterans Act will provide education benefits to service members who often have to leave behind schools, jobs, and homes to serve their … Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Van Hollen, Bennet Reintroduce RACE for Children Act to Boost Pediatric Cancer Research
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Cory Gardner (R-CO), along with Representatives Michael T. McCaul (R-TX-10), G. K. Butterfield (D-NC-01), Sean Duffy (R-WI-07), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09) today reintroduced theRACE for Children Act (Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity for Children Act) to support the development of innovative and promising cancer drugs for children. The bipartisan bill, first introduced in the 114th Congress, would … Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Trump Budget Blueprint
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees, released the following statement on President Trump's FY 2018 budget guidance to federal agencies: "President Trump's first budget blueprint puts our nation on a collision course that will hurt working families, undermine job growth, and threaten America's future. It is basic math. Prioritizing military spending above all else means less funding for important domestic priorities - from supporting … Continue Reading
February 20, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Legislation to Bring Harriet Tubman Statue to the U.S. Capitol Building
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (Both D-Md.) announced new legislation to bring a statue ofHarrietTubmanto the U.S. Capitol Building. In 2012, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation creating theHarrietTubmanStatue Commission to fundraise and commission an artist to sculpt a statue to donate for display in the U.S. Capitol Building. Congress must pass legislation in order to accept the donation, and this bill is the critical next step in the process. It will direct … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Van Hollen Raises Concerns about Executive Order on “Two for One” Regulatory Reform
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) and 7 colleagues in sending a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director Mark Sandy to raise concerns and questions about President Trump's executive order to establish a "two for one" rule under which federal agencies are required to identify two existing regulations for elimination for every new regulation issued. In the letter, the senators raise concerns that the arbitrary "two for one" … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Van Hollen Joins Cardin in Sending Dissent Cable Letter to Secretary Tillerson
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the full Democratic membership of the Committee in sending a letter Thursday to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, urging him to take full and appropriate advantage of the State Department's 'Dissent Channel.' U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.); Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.); Chris Coons (D-Del.); Tom Udall (D-N.M.); Chris Murphy (D-Conn.); Tim Kaine (D-Va.); Edward Markey … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Van Hollen Joins Cardin to Introduce Bill to Ban Religious, Racial and Discriminatory Profiling by Law Enforcement
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and more than two dozen Senators in introducing an updated version of Senator Cardin's legislation to ban discriminatory profiling by all levels of law enforcement nationwide. S. 411, the End Racial and Religious Profiling Act of 2017 (ERRPA), is designed to enforce the constitutional right to equal protection of laws through changing policies and procedures for law enforcement and promoting best practices in community-based law … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Van Hollen Introduces Legislation Rescinding Trump’s Massive Deportation Executive Order
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and a group of 18 Democratic Senators to introduce legislation to rescind President Trump's Executive Order on Interior Enforcement, which directs the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the deportation of a vast majority of undocumented immigrants living and contributing to U.S. communities. "President Trump's effort to divide us along lines of race, religion, and place of birth are shameful," said … Continue Reading
February 15, 2017
Van Hollen Calls for Independent Prosecutor to Investigate Trump Officials’ Collusion with Russia and Apparent White House Cover-Up
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and a group of Senators in calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appoint an independent Special Counsel to investigate possible illegal communications between retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn and representatives of the Russian government, as well as efforts by Flynn and other White House officials to conceal any wrongdoing. "An independent investigation is now necessary to determine what General Flynn … Continue Reading
February 15, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin, Manchin, Capito Introduce Legislation to Designate Appalachian Forest Heritage Area
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ben Cardin (M-MD), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) today introduced the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area Act of 2017.This bipartisan legislation will provide a cooperative management framework to West Virginia and Maryland, eighteen counties within those states, all levels of government and the private sector to work collaboratively to conserve the cultural, natural and historical heritage and pursue economic opportunities … Continue Reading
February 14, 2017
Van Hollen, Schatz, Gillibrand Introduce Legislation to Provide Working Parents with Paid Leave
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (FEPPLA), legislation that would provide federal employees with six weeks of paid leave, under the Family and Medical Leave Act, for the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child. "As the only industrialized country without paid parental leave, the United States leaves too many mothers and fathers no choice but to return to work mere … Continue Reading
