Press Releases
Van Hollen Statement on Memorial Day
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement in recognition of Memorial Day: "As we gather with family and friends this Memorial Day, withsome people heading to the beach and others having their backyard barbeque, it's important for us to reflect on what Memorial Day is all about. It's a time for us to thank and to honor the men and women who have served us and who have given their lives in defense of our country -- people whose sacrifices make our freedom possible. It's not … Continue Reading
May 26, 2017
Chesapeake Bay Senators Urge Robust Funding for Gateways and Watertrails Grants
U.S. Senators representing Maryland, Virginia and Delaware are calling on appropriators to fully fund the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Program, which supports public education about and access to the Chesapeake Bay.The letter was signed by SenatorsChris Van Hollen andBen Cardin (both D-Md.), Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.), andMark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-Va.). The senators shared with Senators Lisa Murkowski and Tom Udall, chair and ranking member of the … Continue Reading
May 26, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce More Than $1 Million in Funding for Maryland Department of Natural Resources
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced $1.09 million in federal funding for Maryland's Department of Natural Resources. The funding comes from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and will be used to improve water quality monitoring throughout the Chesapeake Bay, including greater data analysis capabilities. Sediment and nutrient monitoring programs like the Chesapeake Bay Program's will be notable beneficiaries. "A healthy Bay is essential to the … Continue Reading
May 26, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $1,515,105 for Affordable Housing and Community Development
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen andBen Cardin (both D-Md.) announced that the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation has awarded NeighborWorks America grants totaling $1,515,105 to organizations dedicated to developing and preserving affordable housing, revitalizing and sustaining neighborhoods, and creating jobs in Maryland. "These grants will directly help organizations working to support and revitalize Maryland communities," said Senator Van Hollen, member of the Senate Appropriations … Continue Reading
May 25, 2017
Van Hollen, Booker, Castro Introduce Legislation to Improve Public and Police Safety through Increased Law Enforcement Transparency
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced legislation to bring transparency and accountability to law enforcement agencies across the nation with the aim of reducing the use of force by and against police officers. The Police Reporting Information, Data and Evidence (PRIDE) Act of 2017 would require states and Indian tribes to provide quarterly reports to the U.S. Justice Department regarding any incident during which a civilian is shot or seriously injured … Continue Reading
May 25, 2017
Van Hollen, Menendez, Merkley Lead Senators in Call to Reject Efforts to Block Corporate Political Spending Disclosure
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen, Bob Menendez, and Jeff Merkley, along with 33 Democratic and Independent Senators, called on the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee to reject any effort to prevent the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) from requiring public companies to disclose political spending to their shareholders as part of the fiscal year 2018 funding bill. "For seven long years, companies have had free rein to solidify their … Continue Reading
May 25, 2017
Cardin, Van Hollen Announce $67,300 Grant for Allegany College for STEM Enhancement Project
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced a $67,300 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant for the Allegany College of Maryland's STEM Enhancement project. The federal funding will be matched by $67,300 in local funds for a project total of $134,600. "Maryland's success depends on the strength of every region of our state, and the Appalachian Regional Commission has been a vital source of job-creating investments in Western Maryland,"said Senator Van … Continue Reading
May 25, 2017
Van Hollen Honors Second Lieutenant Collins on the Senate Floor
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke on the Senate floor to honor the life of Second Lieutenant Richard Wilbur Collins III, who was murdered this past weekend in an incident that the FBI is investigating as a hate crime. Click here for video of the Senator's remarks. A transcript of his remarks is below: "I stand to pay tribute to a distinguished young man from the State of Maryland, Second Lieutenant Richard Wilbur Collins III - a brave, brilliant, passionate, selfless, and kind … Continue Reading
May 24, 2017
Ahead Of G-7 Meeting, Van Hollen, Shaheen, Hassan Join 37 Senate Democrats in Urging President Trump Not to Withdraw from Paris Climate Agreement
Ahead of this week's G-7 meeting, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined 37 Senate Democrats in a letter that urged President Trump to keep the United States party to the Paris Climate Agreement. In the new letter to the President, they argued that backing out of the agreement now, after the years of negotiations and strong U.S. leadership on the issue, would be a self-inflicted injury to America's economy and leave U.S. interests … Continue Reading
May 24, 2017
As Newly Released Transcript Details Trump Praise for Philippines President Duterte, Senator Van Hollen Markey Calls on President Trump to Delay Visit of Philippine Leader, Denounce Human Rights Abuses
With release of a transcript of an April telephone call between President Donald Trump and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during which President Trump praised his Philippine counterpart for doing an "unbelievable job on the drug problem", U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass) and a group of Democratic Senators in calling on President Trump to denounce President Duterte's murderous anti-drug campaign and delay any visit from the Filipino leader … Continue Reading
May 24, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Updated CBO Score of Trumpcare
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement on the latest Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of the Republican health care repeal bill: "Today's CBO report confirms what families in Maryland and across the country already knew - this bill is rotten to the core. Congressional Republicans went back to the drawing board, but what they came up with still leaves 23 million more Americans uninsured and cuts Medicaid by $834 billion. Millions more will be left with … Continue Reading
May 23, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Trump Budget Proposal
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement on President Trump's Fiscal Year 2018 budget request: "This budget represents a total betrayal of President Trump's campaign promises. It afflicts the vulnerable and comforts the powerful. In short, it screams 'Millionaires First, Working People Last.' "As we learn more details about the Trump Budget, things get worse for working Americans but better for the super wealthy. The Trump budget … Continue Reading
May 22, 2017
Cardin, Van Hollen Statement on Murder of Bowie State Student
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) released the following statement on the murder of Bowie State University student Richard Collins III: "Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Richard Collins III, along with the entire Bowie State University community. By all accounts, Second Lieutenant Collins had distinguished himself academically and would have done the same in his forthcoming military service. The senselessness of this loss is deeply … Continue Reading
May 22, 2017
Van Hollen: President Trump is Increasing Health Care Costs for Hardworking Americans
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement on the Trump Administration's request for another delay in the cost-sharing reduction payments lawsuit: "Families in Maryland and across the country deserve certainty about the stability and cost of their health insurance. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans refuse to provide it. Cost-sharing subsidies lower the deductibles, co-pays, and other out-of-pocket costs for those who purchase plans … Continue Reading
May 22, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $21,429 for Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Department
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under the Department of Homeland Security, has awarded a $21,429 grant to the Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Department for operations and safety. The grant will be used to buy a specially designed washer and drying cabinet for personal protective equipment, giving the department the ability to quickly remove dangerous carcinogens and hazardous materials that could pose a … Continue Reading
May 19, 2017
Van Hollen, Sullivan Launch Senate Foreign Service Caucus
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) today announced the formation of the Senate Foreign Service Caucus. The caucus will provide a bipartisan forum for members to discuss the challenges facing those who serve in the U.S. Foreign Service around the world,and collaborate and develop policy recommendations on how they can best support them and the U.S. diplomatic mission abroad. "As the son of a Foreign Service Officer, I know firsthand the immense impact our diplomats … Continue Reading
May 18, 2017
Van Hollen, Whitehouse Introduce Conflicts from Political Fundraising Act
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL) to unveil legislation to close a glaring ethics loophole that allows executive branch appointees to avoid disclosing their ties to shadowy political spending groups and other interests they may oversee as federal officials. The Conflicts from Political Fundraising Act would require presidentially appointed executive branch officials to disclose whether they have solicited donations … Continue Reading
May 18, 2017
Van Hollen Signs Letter to Trump Organization Requesting Answers on President’s Compliance With Constitution
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollenand 16 of his Senate colleagues have sent a letter pressing the Trump Organization and the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust for answers about each entity's financial relationship to the President, and about the President's compliance with the Constitution. The letter comes as President Trump is set to leave on Friday for his first foreign trip, which includes stops in two countries -SaudiArabiaandIsrael- where there have been questions of possible conflicts of … Continue Reading
May 17, 2017
Van Hollen, Bipartisan Coalition of Senators Call for Continued Funding of Land and Water Conservation Program
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined a bipartisan coalition of senators urging the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies to support the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and Forest Legacy Program, the nation's federal conservation program, as they begin considerations for the upcoming fiscal year. The LWCF and Forest Legacy Program has funded more than 40,000 state and local outdoor recreation … Continue Reading
May 17, 2017
Senators to Trump Administration: Do Not Hurt Workforce by Cutting NASA Education Funding
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI a group of 31 Senators in a letter urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to support NASA's Office of Education in the coming fiscal year. President Trump's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) would eliminate NASA's Office of Education, which works to inspire and educate students across the country to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). "Given the importance of STEM … Continue Reading
