Press Releases
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
February 10, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $154,574 in ARC Grants, Local Funding for Western Maryland
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced $154,574 in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grants and local funding to boost economic development in Western Maryland. ARC will provide $57,287 in funding to Hagerstown Community College's Electronics Laboratory to purchase new equipment, which will be equally matched by the College. The $114,574 investment in new devices will be used by 142 students each year who are studying applied sciences and engineering … Continue Reading
February 09, 2017
Van Hollen, Gillibrand Introduce FAMILY Act to Create Paid Family and Medical Leave Program
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and a group of 26 Senators to reintroduce the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, or FAMILY Act, legislation that would create a universal, gender-neutral paid family and medical leave program. The United States is the only industrialized nation without a national paid leave program, and only 14 percent of American workers have access to paid family leave through their employer. Without a national paid … Continue Reading
February 09, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Ninth Circuit Court Ruling on Trump Immigration Executive Order
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled to continue blocking the enforcement of President Trump's immigration executive order: "No 'so-called' justice here. This ruling is true to our law and values, and it will strengthen our security rather than play into the hands of … Continue Reading
February 09, 2017
Van Hollen Pledges to Fight Unfair Trump Attacks on Federal Workers
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and other Senate Democrats in unveiling "Five Fights for Federal Employees," a proposal to protect current and retired government workers from ideologically motivated attacks from Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration. This resolution is a statement of principles that Senate Democrats intend to use to fight back against Republican attacks on the federal workforce. These principles include a … Continue Reading
February 07, 2017
Van Hollen Speaks Out Against Betsy DeVos on Senate Floor
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke on the Senate floor to oppose the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. An excerpt of his remarks is available below, and video is available here: "Maryland schools and schools throughout the country deserve a champion in their Secretary of Education. When President Trump and congressional Republicans proposed plans to cut and divert federal education funding, we need a Secretary of Education who is going to fight for public … Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Rep. Mick Mulvaney for OMB Director
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record in opposition to the confirmation of Congressman Mick Mulvaney as Director of the Office of Management and Budget: "Mr. President, I know Mick Mulvaney. We served together for 6 years in the House of Representatives. I have always found him to be a straight shooter. And he was a champion of budget transparency. I also respect him for taking on some budget fights even when they were not popular with his … Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Van Hollen to Trump: Don’t Pull the Rug Out From Under States Fighting Opioid Crisis
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today in writing to President Donald Trump warning that repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with no replacement would pull the rug out from under local communities working to combat the opioid epidemic, which could endanger millions of Americans just as they are getting treatment. Repeal threatens to cut $5.5 billion from states battling opioid addiction. A recent … Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Team Maryland Calls on Hogan to Protect Marylanders from the Repeal of the Affordable Care Act
Members of the Maryland Congressional delegation have written to Governor Larry Hogan (R-Md.) urging him to protect the needs of his constituents by speaking out against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act without a viable replacement. The letter, signed by Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Representatives Steny Hoyer, Elijah E. Cummings, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, John K. Delaney, Anthony G. Brown and Jamie Raskin, urges the governor to write to the President of … Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on the SEC Resource Extraction Rule
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record of the SEC Resource Extraction Rule: "Mr. President, with this resolution, the Senate Majority is continuing its rush to overturn Obama Administration consumer and investor protections, this time by targeting a bipartisan anti-corruption measure. "In 2008, under the direction of Senator Richard Lugar, Republican staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee produced a report entitled "The Petroleum … Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Andrew Puzder
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement in opposition to Labor Secretary nominee Andrew Puzder: "The Department of Labor is charged with protecting American workers, job seekers, and retirees. This wide-ranging agency touches the lives of every family in our nation, and its leader must always put the best interests of the workforce first. I listened to heartbreaking testimony from people who had been the victims of Andrew Puzder's predatory labor practices, and it's … Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Van Hollen Urges Senate Leaders to Protect the BLM Rule that Prevents Natural Gas Waste, Safeguards Health and Economic Growth
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollenurged Senate leaders to defend the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Methane and Natural Gas Waste Prevention Rule, which protects air quality and prevents the waste of taxpayer-owned natural gas on federal and Tribal lands, by opposing efforts to dismantle it through the rarely used and extremely dangerous process set out in the Congressional Review Act. In a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and … Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Van Hollen Urges President Trump to Include Broadband in Any Infrastructure Initiative
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined 47 Senators in sending a bipartisan letter to President Trump urging him to prioritize policies that will promote deployment of high-speed, reliable broadband for all Americans as part of any infrastructure initiative. From Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, this kind of investment is key to attracting young families and startup businesses to the area. Our state has a high demand for more broadband connectivity across the board, from small businesses to … Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Cosponsor Bill to Give Federal Workers a Raise
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen have signed on as original cosponsors to the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, a bill that would provide federal employees with a 3.2 percent pay increase in 2018. The bill is designed to boost the pay of federal workers, who have endured $182 billion in cuts to pay and benefits through pay freezes, substandard pay raises, furloughs and increased pension contributions. Federal employees have sacrificed far more … Continue Reading
