Press Releases
Van Hollen, Senators to Trump: Fill Diplomatic Appointments Key to Addressing North Korea Crisis
U.S. Senator Chirs Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined 10 Senate Democrats in calling on President Trump to fill the vacanciesforU.S.Ambassador toSouthKorea,officially known as the Republic of Korea (ROK), Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. These key positionshave gone unfilled in the over eight months of the Trump presidency. In the wake of North Korea's actions,Senate-confirmed nominees … Continue Reading
September 18, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Nearly $120,000 for Economic Development
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin(both D-Md.) have announced that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $116,667 to the University of Maryland and Morgan State University Joint Center for Economic Development. The Center specializes in utilizing University of Maryland and Morgan State University resources to research economic development strategies, help local businesses grow, assist community leaders revitalize local neighborhoods and provide job training for … Continue Reading
September 18, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $1.2 Million for Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced a $1,218,606 Department of Transportation (DOT) grant for the Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY) in Salisbury, Md. Authorities will use the funds to rehabilitate and enhance runways, including the construction of a new lighting system designed to assist aircraft during low-visibility conditions. "Regional and general aviation airports serve as an important resource to communities in our state and are … Continue Reading
September 18, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Strike Deal to Help Garrett County Small Businesses
WASHINGTON - U.S.Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin(D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, have secured a provision in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to extend federal HUBZone eligibility to small businesses in Garrett County and in other HUBZone areas around Maryland.The provision, Senate Amendment 510, mirrors the HUBZone Investment Protection Act (S. 690), … Continue Reading
September 18, 2017
Comment Of Appropriations Vice Chair Patrick Leahy And Appropriations Member Chris Van Hollen On The U.S. Decision To Withdraw Approval Of Export of Firearms to the Turkish Presidential Protection Directorate
Reaction of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and cosponsor of the amendment by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), adopted by the Appropriations Committee on Sept 7, to prohibit exports of U.S. defense articles to the Turkish Presidential Protection Directorate: "This sale to President Erdogan's personal security guards should never have been approved, given their history of excessive force. But in the category of 'better late than never,' we welcome … Continue Reading
September 15, 2017
Van Hollen Listens to Financial Challenges, Opportunities for Investment in Minority Communities
As part of his ongoing work to expand investments in minority communities and those areas with high-unemployment, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen held a roundtable discussion in Baltimore, Maryland this morning to identify financial barriers faced by minority businesses and communities and how to overcome them. The roundtable was hosted by Joe Haskins, the President and CEO of Harbor Bank, one of the leading African-American-owned banks in the country. They were joined by leaders from community, … Continue Reading
September 14, 2017
Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Fight for Every Parents’ Right to Affordable Child Care
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senate Democrats in introducing the Child Care for Working Families Act, a comprehensive early learning and child care package. This legislation would give hardworking American families the peace of mind to know they can afford quality care for their kids. The bill makes sweeping improvements to current child care legislation and will help more children succeed from the start. "No parent should lose sleep over whether or not they can afford to take … Continue Reading
September 08, 2017
Van Hollen, Schatz, Booker Introduce Legislation to Ensure Roads, Bridges Can Withstand Flood Damage
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Flood Risk Management Act of 2017 today to ensure that infrastructure projects that received federal funding - including major roads and bridges across our country -are built to withstand flood damage like we're facing with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Understanding the dangerous consequences of floods, the Obama Administration set standards in 2015 to make sure that FEDERAL projects were able to … Continue Reading
September 08, 2017
Van Hollen and Toomey Call for Swift Passage of BRINK Act
The Senate Banking Committee held a hearing this week on North Korea, where U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) discussed the urgent need to pass the bipartisan BRINK Act. At the hearing, experts agreed that secondaryfinancialsanctionsand fines, such as mandated by the BRINK Act, are necessary to exert maximum pressure on Kim Jong Un and his enablers andwould impose penalties against financial institutions thatsupport theNorth Korean regime.Thehearing occurred on the … Continue Reading
September 08, 2017
Van Hollen, Duckworth, Beyer, and Ellison Introduce Legislation to Support Civic Participation and Strengthen Voting Rights
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) have introduced the Pre-Registration of Voters Everywhere (PROVE) Act to expand voter registration efforts nationwide and increase American citizens' participation in their democratic process. The PROVE Act would enable citizens who are 16 and 17 to preregister to be added to voter rolls when they turn 18. Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) also introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of … Continue Reading
September 07, 2017
Van Hollen Fights for Maryland in Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Bill
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted to support the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. It rejected reckless cuts proposed by the Trump Administration to invest in critical programs that grow our economy, expand vital education and job training programs, and improve the health of American families. "Families in Maryland deserve every opportunity to achieve the … Continue Reading
September 07, 2017
Van Hollen Urges MDOT to Minimize Disruption to Communities During Purple Line Construction
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen wrote today to Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary Pete Rahn to urge him to minimize the disruptive impacts as construction begins on the Purple Line. Many Marylanders are concerned about how communities surrounding the project will be affected, and the Senator asked MDOT to take some clear steps to address the issue. "I recognize that the next few years will be difficult for many as this project is constructed," Senator Van Hollen wrote. … Continue Reading
September 07, 2017
Van Hollen Fights for Diplomacy, Development, and National Security in the State, Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted to support the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill. In the face of President Trump's proposed 32 percent cut to the budgets of the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), this bill instead makes key investments in American diplomacy, development, and national security. "Diplomacy and development are critical … Continue Reading
September 05, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $5.6 Million for Western Maryland Airports
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced $5,660,000 in federal funding from the Department of Transportation (DOT) for two Western Maryland airports. The grants will be used the fund repairs and improvements to the airports' runways, including the construction of taxiway extensions. The Richard A Henson Field Airport (HGR) in Hagerstown will receive $260,000, while the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport (CBE) in Cumberland will receive $5,400,000. "Western … Continue Reading
September 05, 2017
Van Hollen, Booker, Schatz Urge Trump to Reverse Decision Revoking Safeguards for Infrastructure Projects in Floodplains
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) urged President Trump to reverse his decision made last month to revoke a safeguard that ensures federal buildings, roads, bridges, and other pieces of infrastructure are built to withstand extreme weather events, such as Hurricane Harvey. The Senators also indicated plans to introduce legislation in the coming days to codify the critical safeguard into law. The Federal Flood Risk Management Standard was … Continue Reading
September 05, 2017
Van Hollen Discusses North Korea and DACA on MSNBC
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell today to discuss the ongoing situation in North Korea and the President's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Below are excerpts of the interview, and the full video is available here: On North Korea - "One of the issues that we need to address here, of course, is... the Chinese continuing to be an economic lifeline to North Korea.... This has got to be an indication that the Chinese have got … Continue Reading
September 05, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on DACA
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement on President Trump's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program: "Today I think about Jorge Steven Acuña's story. In 2001, when Steven was just 8 years old, his family came to the United States after his mother began receiving death threats. For nearly 16 years since arriving from Colombia, Steven and his family have lived and worked in this country as productive, law-abiding citizens. But in … Continue Reading
September 05, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Nearly $700,000 for Eastern Shore Airports
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced $669,454 in federal funding from the Department of Transportation (DOT) for four Eastern Shore airports. The grants will be used to fund repairs and improvements to the airports' runways, including the removal of large obstructions. Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY) in Salisbury will receive $90,000; the Easton-Newnam Field Airport (ESN) in Easton will receive $89,935; the Bay Bridge Airport (W29) in … Continue Reading
August 31, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Urge Mnuchin Not to Abandon Plans to Put Tubman on Twenty-Dollar Bill
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) wrote to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to urge him not to abandon plans to put Harriet Tubman on the twenty-dollar bill. Earlier today on CNBC, Mnuchin refused to commit to moving forward with the plan, which was announced during the Obama Administration. "Those we honor on currency make a statement about our nation and our values," the Senators wrote. "We urge you to move forward to honor Harriet Tubman and make a … Continue Reading
August 29, 2017
Van Hollen and Toomey Statement on Urgent Need to Strengthen Sanctions on North Korea and Crack Down on Sanction Evaders
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) urged Congress to soon consider their Banking Restrictions Involving North Korea (BRINK) Act, which is the necessary next step in tackling the crisis in North Korea and peacefully resolving this nuclear threat. "The rapidly escalating situation in North Korea demands quick action from Congress to expand and enforce sanctions against Kim Jong Un's regime, and Senator Toomey and I have introduced the BRINK Act to do just that. … Continue Reading