Press Releases
Van Hollen, Gillibrand, Colleagues Call For EPA To Further Address Toxic PFAS Pollution In Upcoming Guidance
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), along with 12 of their Senate colleagues, in sending a letter calling for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase its efforts to stop the flow of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into our communities. Ahead of the EPA's upcoming guidance to state permitting authorities on how to address PFAS in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, the … Continue Reading
October 13, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Availability of 130,000 H-2B Visas in Fiscal Year 2023
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will release 130,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas in fiscal year 2023. This total is comprised of the 66,000 visas that DHS can release annually under the Immigration and Nationality Act, as well as an additional 64,716. This visa program is essential for the staffing of Maryland's crab and seafood small businesses, which are a core driver of the … Continue Reading
October 12, 2022
Maryland Delegation Members Announce Over $7.5 Million in Federal Funding to Strengthen the Public Health Workforce
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmembers John Sarbanes, Anthony G. Brown, Kweisi Mfume, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $7,586,334 in federal funding to train new community health workers in Maryland. The funding is provided through the Community Health Worker Training program, a new initiative created by the lawmakers through the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act. This program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, provides … Continue Reading
October 11, 2022
Van Hollen, Manchin, Tillis, Coons Reintroduce Bipartisan Fair Hiring in Banking Act
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) reintroduced the bipartisan Fair Hiring in Banking Act to reduce hiring barriers across the financial services sector. The legislation will ensure otherwise highly qualified individuals with minor arrest or conviction records are not prohibited from working in the financial services industry, and expands upon the Fair Hiring in Banking Act previously introduced by Senator Manchin by … Continue Reading
October 07, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Over $965,000 to Strengthen Internet Access for Marylanders
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $966,659 in federal funding to help develop Maryland's digital equity plan, which will increase affordable access to high-speed internet and close the digital divide. The State Digital Equity Planning Grant is awarded to the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to … Continue Reading
October 07, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Harris Joint Statement on USDA Grant to Smith Island Wastewater Infrastructure Project
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee, and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (R-Md.), Acting Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a $1,611,000 grant for the Smith Island Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Improvements project. This grant … Continue Reading
October 07, 2022
Van Hollen Pushes NDAA Amendment to Restrict Transfer of F-16s to Turkey
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to restrict the transfer of F-16s to Turkey. The Senator's amendment would put in place a series of restrictions prior to allowing the transfer, including relating to Turkey's efforts to undermine the Syrian Democratic Forces and requiring Turkey's ratification of Sweden and Finland's NATO accession. "Turkey's actions under the Erdogan regime have called into question its faithfulness as a … Continue Reading
October 06, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Colleagues Urge the Biden Administration to Extend the PSLF Waiver
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to extend the limited Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) waiver deadline until July 1, 2023 - when the Department of Education's new PSLF regulations are set to take effect, in order to ensure all public servants with federal student loans can benefit from this historic waiver. Since the Department announced the limited PSLF waiver … Continue Reading
October 05, 2022
Van Hollen, Toomey Press Need for Secondary Sanctions Legislation in Response to OPEC Announcement
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who have authored new secondary sanctions legislation to hold Russia accountable for its war in Ukraine, released the following statement on OPEC's decision to reduce production: "Today's decision by OPEC will ultimately mean greater profits for Putin's war machine. To stop this cash flow, we must work quickly to enact the price cap put forward by the Biden Administration and our G7 partners, and we must ensure that … Continue Reading
October 05, 2022
Van Hollen, Warren, Lawmakers to Commerce Dept: Prevent Stock Buybacks by Corporations That Receive CHIPS Act Funds
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Representatives Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), and Bill Foster (D-Ill.) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urging the Commerce Department to strengthen and enforce critical protections against the abuse of funds provided under the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act for stock buybacks and … Continue Reading
October 04, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer, Brown Announce Over $550,000 to Strengthen Education, Service Programs for Veterans
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer and Anthony G. Brown (all D-Md.) announced $586,534 in federal funding to help veterans earn higher education degrees. The funds come from the U.S. Department of Education's Veterans Upward Bound Program, which supports counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and academic instruction for veterans as they pursue postsecondary education. The lawmakers fought for increased funding in fiscal year 2022 for Upward Bound and … Continue Reading
October 04, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Announce Over $1 Million in Federal Funding to Set Students Up for Success in Math and Science
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $1,029,802 in federal funding to strengthen Maryland students' math and science skills. The funds come from the U.S. Department of Education's Upward Bound Math and Science Program, which supports academic and career counseling to help students recognize their potential in math and science and prepare them to excel in STEM-focused postsecondary … Continue Reading
October 04, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce Nearly $900,000 in Federal Funding to Break Down Barriers in Education and Set Students Up for Success
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (all D-Md.) announced $890,727 in federal funding to help students from underrepresented communities earn higher education degrees. The funds come from the U.S. Department of Education's Upward Bound Program, which supports preparation and guidance for students as they pursue education beyond high school. The lawmakers fought for increased funding in fiscal year 2022 for Upward Bound and other federal TRIO … Continue Reading
October 04, 2022
Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Push Biden to Build on Inflation Reduction Act, Declare Climate Emergency
With climate chaos flooding states, burning communities across the West, and driving crippling droughts, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in sending a letter to President Biden requesting his Administration build on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) investments for … Continue Reading
October 03, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $17 Million for Violence Prevention and Safer Schools
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $16,990,815 in federal funding for Maryland schools to foster safer and more supportive learning environments that address the evolving social, emotional, physical, and mental health needs of students. The funding is administered through the U.S. Department of Education's Stronger … Continue Reading
October 03, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Over $4 Million in Federal Housing Assistance for Marylanders
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $4,258,979 in federal assistance to help low-income residents across Maryland afford quality, safe, and stable housing. The assistance is administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's New Incremental Housing Choice Vouchers Program and is fully funded by the … Continue Reading
September 30, 2022
Van Hollen, Warren, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Help Survivors of Natural Disasters
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) along with Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Il.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in reintroducing the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act, legislation … Continue Reading
September 30, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Mfume Announce $130,000 for Mental Health Resources at Coppin State University Following Recent Bomb Threats
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $130,190 in federal funding from the Department of Education's Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program for Coppin State University. This grant will help Coppin State University, a historically Black university, recover from bomb threats the school received in February 2022. This award is one of a series that will go to Historically Black Colleges and Universities … Continue Reading
September 29, 2022
Van Hollen, Toomey File Russia Secondary Sanctions Amendment to NDAA
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) filed a bipartisan amendment to be considered under the Senate's National Defense Authorization Act creating secondary sanctions to hold Russia accountable for its war against Ukraine. The Senators' amendment will provide new sanctions authority to the Administration in its efforts to sever funding to Putin's war machine. "The Administration's work alongside the G7 toward implementing a price cap on Russian oil is a crucial … Continue Reading
September 29, 2022
Van Hollen, Coons, Lankford introduce resolution to condemn Iran for systemic persecution of women and peaceful protestors
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) in introducing a resolution condemning the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman whose killing last week by Iran's "morality police" sparked nationwide protests, and calling on the government of Iran to end its systemic persecution of women. The resolution also celebrates the bravery of the Iranian people protesting Amini's death despite a violent crackdown by the … Continue Reading
