Press Releases
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Rex Tillerson
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record on the vote to confirmRex Tillerson as Secretary of State: "Mr. President, my father served in the Foreign Service at the Department of State, so I spent some of my early years overseas. I was proud to be part of a family that represented our great Country. I learned firsthand the critical role of our Nation's diplomats, the risks that they take to serve our Country, and the part that they play in … Continue Reading
February 01, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Join Maryland Educators in Opposition to Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education
President Trump has nominated billionaire school privatization advocate Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education, a position that has far-reaching consequences for students in Maryland schools. During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee (HELP), Mrs. DeVos displayed a stunning lack of knowledge about basic education policy, and a complete conflict with the core Maryland values of public education, student safety, and the full protection … Continue Reading
February 01, 2017
Van Hollen, Mother of Young Boy Detained Because of Trump’s Immigration Ban Speak Out
From the moment President Trump's executive order on immigrants and refugees was signed, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has been working on behalf of Marylanders who were blindsided by this despicable action. One of the more disturbing cases that came into his office was that of 5-year-old Artiman Jalali. His mother, Shohreh Rahnama, reached out to the office because her son was traveling on his birthday with his cousin after visiting family overseas. Artiman is an American-born citizen and his … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Immigration Executive Order
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement: "President Trump's order to suspend America's refugee programs is an attack on everything our country stands for and makes us less safe. It is a de facto Muslim ban that plays right into ISIS's propaganda, casting our fight against terrorism as a fight against an entire religion. It emboldens those who want to do us harm, and harms those who need protections the most. This is not who we are as a nation, and we will fight to … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Van Hollen: Trump Backtracks on Promise to Reduce Drug Prices for Seniors and Families
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement about reports that, following a meeting with pharmaceutical companies, President Trump has dropped his campaign promise to let Medicare negotiate bulk discounts in the price it pays for prescription drugs: "President Trump campaigned on the promise that he would fight for working families and take on special interests. Yet at every turn, he has broken that promise to the American people. Just today, he's turning his back on a … Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Van Hollen, Murphy Introduce Legislation to Block Harmful Executive Order on Refugees and Immigrants
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and six of their colleagues to introduce legislation to block President Trump's immigration ban on refugees and immigrants from certain Muslim-majority nations. Specifically, the bill would withhold any funding to enforce the executive order and declares it illegal based on the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which banned discrimination against … Continue Reading
January 26, 2017
Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Safeguard DREAMer Data
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and a group of Senate Democrats in introducing S. 229, the Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act of 2017. The bill would safeguard the private information-such as addresses and telephone numbers-of the young immigrants known as DREAMers to ensure that they are not targeted by the Trump Administration for deportation. The introduction of this bill comes as President Donald Trump has begun a series of executive actions on … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Announce “A Blueprint to Rebuild America’s Infrastructure”
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has joined Senate Democrats in unveiling "A Blueprint to Rebuild America's Infrastructure." The proposal is a long-overdue $1 trillion investment that would create more than 15 million jobs over the next 10 years. It includes a proposal to fund an infrastructure bank to provide innovative financing to a broad range of projects, including clean energy as Senator Van Hollen has advocated. "With our nation facing a D-plus grade from the American Society of Civil … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Van Hollen Announces Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Assignments
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he will serve on five subcommittees of the Senate Appropriations Committee: Financial Services and General Government; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; and Legislative Branch. "To move Maryland and America forward, we must ensure we're wisely directing resources and doing right by the taxpayer. From supporting our federal agencies … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce More Than $2.5 Million in Funding for Transit Worker Safety
U. S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced $2.57 million in federal funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). The funding - which comes as a $1.88 million grant to WMATA and a $688,448 grant for MDOT - will be used to provide rail workers with personal alert devices that will communicate the locations and statuses of trains and track segments in real time. In the case of MDOT, … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Confirmation of Governor Nikki Haley
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record on the vote to confirm Governor Nikki Haley as Ambassador to the U.N.: "Mr. President, in 1945, at the close of World War II, the 50 Allied nations formed the United Nations to help prevent another world war. Since its founding, the U.N. has grown to 193 nations. While it has many serious flaws, it has been an important tool for promoting peace, protecting human rights, providing humanitarian … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Treasury Nominee Steve Mnuchin
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement announcing his opposition to the confirmation of Steve Mnuchin to serve as the next Secretary of the Treasury: "When we review each of President Trump's nominees, we must consider the question of experience. Unlike some of the men and women up for consideration, Steve Mnuchin has experience working with banks. But that experience is some of the most troubling part of his record. "Last week, I had the opportunity to listen to … Continue Reading
January 23, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Mike Pompeo
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record on the vote to confirm Congressman Mike Pompeo to be Director of the CIA: "Mr. President, President Trump has repeatedly called into question the integrity and professionalism of the brave men and women in our Intelligence Community. In addition, throughout the campaign, his statements revealed a dangerous propensity to ignore important principles of civil and religious liberty. "Under these … Continue Reading
January 23, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Trump Administration’s Federal Hiring Freeze
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement on the Trump Administration's federal hiring freeze: "President Trump's decision to enact an arbitrary hiring freeze on federal agencies is short-sighted and may ultimately cost taxpayers more as that work is shifted to federal contractors. Rather than take the time to understand agency budgets and make informed decisions, the President has decided to forbid agencies from bringing new talent into the civilian workforce. This … Continue Reading
January 20, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of General John Kelly
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record on the vote to confirm General John Kelly as Homeland Security Secretary: "Mr. President, President Trump ran a divisive campaign that engaged in fear-mongering against many immigrants and scapegoated Muslim Americans. To the extent that he attempts to act on that irresponsible rhetoric, I will strongly oppose him. "Thus I appreciated many of General Kelly's comments in his confirmation hearing before … Continue Reading
January 20, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Confirmation of General James Mattis
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record on the vote to confirm General James Mattis to serve as Secretary of Defense: "Mr. President, I support the nomination of General James Mattis to serve as Secretary of Defense. "I voted against enacting an exception to the National Security Act for a recently-retired General to serve as Secretary of Defense, but that vote was in support of our Nation's tradition of civilian leadership of the military. … Continue Reading
January 19, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Attorney General Nominee Senator Jeff Sessions
Washington, DC - Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement announcing his opposition to the confirmation of Senator Jeff Sessions to serve as the next Attorney General of the United States: "The Attorney General holds a very special position in our democracy, serving as a champion for the people and a defender of those whose only power lies in their rights under the law and in our Constitution. Nominees must be judged based on whether their life's work demonstrates a … Continue Reading
January 19, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt
Washington, DC - Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement announcing his opposition to the confirmation of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to serve as the next Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): "Scott Pruitt has spent his career attacking the EPA and its mission to protect our air, our water, and vital ecosystems like our beloved Chesapeake Bay. He has been a puppet for Big Oil and rejects the basic science of climate change. … Continue Reading
January 19, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Secretary of Education Nominee Betsy DeVos
Washington, DC -Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement announcing his opposition to the confirmation of Betsy DeVos to serve as the next Secretary of Education: "The education and success of our children is central to the hopes and dreams of every family in Maryland and across the country, and it is integral to our nation's future. With that in mind, the Department of Education is charged with one of America's most critical tasks - providing all children, in every … Continue Reading
January 11, 2017
Baltimore Delegation Statement on Consent Decree Between BPD and the Department of Justice
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator's Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin were joined by Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings, John Sarbanes, and Dutch Ruppersberger (all D-MD) in issuing the following statement after Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh and U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced the finalization of a consent decree between the U.S. Department of Justice and Baltimore City Police Department: "Last summer's DOJ report-which detailed systemic, repeated violations of the constitutional … Continue Reading
