Press Releases
Van Hollen Delivers Floor Speech on Anniversary of January 6th Insurrection
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate regarding the anniversary of the January 6thinsurrection, the continued threat to our democracy posed by Donald Trump's Big Lie, and the urgent need to pass voting rights legislation to protect every American's right to the ballot box. Below are Senator Van Hollen's remarks, which can also be viewed here. U.S. SENATOR CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-Md.): "Mr. President, I want to thank my colleague from Colorado for … Continue Reading
December 22, 2021
Van Hollen, Bass Urge Biden Administration to Reconsider Ethiopia’s Suspension from Critical AGOA Trade Program
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.) have urged President Joe Biden to reconsider the Administration's November 2, 2021 decision to terminate Ethiopia's designation as a beneficiary country under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) at the end of this year. As the lawmakers note in their letter, this decision will hurt the nation's most vulnerable and reverse hard-won economic gains without reducing hostilities in the ongoing civil war. Senator … Continue Reading
December 22, 2021
Van Hollen, Maryland Delegation Receive Response from USPS Showing Actions to Improve Performance Over Last Year’s Holiday Season, but Urge Further Action
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 Raskin, Andy Harris, M.D., and David Trone (all Md.) announced that they received a letter from the United States Postal Service (USPS) in response to their November 22 request for an update on its readiness for the holiday mail surge. In response to the letter, the lawmakers released the following statement: "We are encouraged that … Continue Reading
December 22, 2021
Van Hollen, Reed, Clark Urge HHS to Help Protect Families This Winter During Energy Crisis
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (D-Mass.-5) sent a bicameral letter urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the ongoing energy crisis and its impact on families served by the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The cost of home heating is estimated to increase by 30 percent this winter, which is a level that has not been seen since 2014 and would impact 61 million households … Continue Reading
December 21, 2021
Van Hollen, Ruppersberger, Mfume, Cardin Announce New USPS Audit Showing Chronic Mismanagement, Employee Vacancies at USPS Processing and Distribution Facility in Baltimore
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced a new USPS audit showing the primary Baltimore area United States Postal Service (USPS) processing and distribution center is processing millions fewer mail items despite significant increases in work hours and overtime. The audit was self-initiated by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for USPS and comes after Office separate reviews requested by Congressmen … Continue Reading
December 21, 2021
Maryland Delegation Announces Nearly $800 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Highway Funding for the State
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 Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $796,122,349 in FY22 federal funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law to improve roads and bridges and create good-paying jobs across the state. These federal investments also fund critical new programs to address climate change, both through reducing carbon emissions and strengthening … Continue Reading
December 21, 2021
Maryland Delegation Announces the Howard County Economic Development Authority as a Finalist in the Build Back Better Regional Challenge to Strengthen Maryland’s Cybersecurity Efforts
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 Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced an award of $500,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to the Howard County Economic Development Authority to continue developing its Maryland Cyber Workforce Solutions (Solutions) project on behalf of a coalition of Maryland local governments, including Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, … Continue Reading
December 21, 2021
Van Hollen, Warren, Baldwin, Maloney Reintroduce Landmark CARE Act to Combat the Substance Use Epidemic
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), Ann Kuster (D-N.H.), and David Trone (D-Md.) in reintroducing the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, the most ambitious legislation ever introduced in Congress to confront the substance use epidemic. Endorsed by over 175 organizations, the CARE Act would provide state and local governments with $125 billion in federal … Continue Reading
December 21, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Urge FTC and DOJ to Protect Workers' Rights By Limiting Non-Compete Agreements
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.), along with Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are supporting the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division's role in restricting the use of non-compete clauses in employment contracts to promote worker mobility at a time of low unemployment rates and economic recovery. Earlier this month, the FTC and DOJ … Continue Reading
December 20, 2021
Van Hollen, Trone, Cardin, Announce More Than $280,000 in Federal Funding for the Frederick Mobile Crisis Team
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $280,254 in federal funding for the Frederick Mobile Crisis Team. The team brings police officers and mental health professionals together so they can better assist those experiencing a behavioral or mental health crisis. "The Frederick Mobile Crisis Team pairs law enforcement personnel with mental health professionals to help those in crisis get the care they need in an effective, compassionate … Continue Reading
December 20, 2021
Van Hollen, Murphy, Young, Senate Colleagues Urge FTC and DOJ to Limit Non-Compete Agreements
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Todd Young (D-Ind.) supported the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division's role in restricting the use of non-compete clauses in employment contracts to promote worker mobility at a time of low unemployment rates and economic recovery. Last week the FTC and DOJ Antitrust Division held a workshop studying "the implications for efforts to protect and empower workers through competition … Continue Reading
December 17, 2021
Members of Congress Push to Increase U.S. Assistance to Help Vaccinate the World
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Representatives Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), and Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04) who are leading a congressional effort urgently requesting supplemental funding be included in the Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bill expected to be negotiated early in the new year to … Continue Reading
December 17, 2021
Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $31.5 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for Airports Across the State
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $31,662,850 in the first round of federal funding to airports across the state from the bipartisan infrastructure law. This funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the bipartisan infrastructure law, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in November. This … Continue Reading
December 16, 2021
Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $190 Million to Help Health Care Providers Impacted by COVID-19
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone (all Md.) announced $191,711,521 in payments from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Provider Relief Fund (PRF) to help health care providers across Maryland recover from revenue losses and expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest tranche of PRF funding … Continue Reading
December 16, 2021
Senate Passes Van Hollen-Sullivan “Foreign Service Families Act”
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), co-founders of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Service Caucus, announced the passage of their Foreign Service Families Act yesterday as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation will help ensure that the Foreign Service is able to attract and retain a world-class diplomatic corps by providing expanded career options and services to eligible family members. For many of these family … Continue Reading
December 16, 2021
Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $10 Million in Funding to Early Childhood Education Programs
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, Andy Harris, M.D. and David Trone (all Md.) today announced $10,687,408 in federal funding to the Maryland State Department of Education and to the Y of Central Maryland to expand early learning options for Maryland's low-income families, provide additional professional development opportunities for educators and support family … Continue Reading
December 16, 2021
Van Hollen, Menendez, SFRC Dems Introduce the Department of State Inclusivity Act
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who led the entire Democratic bench of the Foreign Relations Committee, in introducing the Department of State Inclusivity Act of 2021 - new legislation to assess and bolster the State Department's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. By requiring the Department to develop and strengthen recruitment, retention, and promotion strategies and mechanisms to grow a more diverse workforce, including through the … Continue Reading
December 15, 2021
Following Oxford High School Shooting, Van Hollen, Murphy, Thompson, Stabenow, Peters, Blumenthal, Slotkin Urge Department Of Education To Issue Guidance On Safe Gun Storage
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) who were leading 15 Senate Democrats and 99 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, in urging the U.S. Department of Education to raise awareness about secure gun storage following the tragic shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan. In a letter to … Continue Reading
December 15, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Share Support for Biden District Court Nominee Julie Rubin with Senate Judiciary Committee
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) urged the Judiciary Committee to swiftly process the nomination of Baltimore City Circuit Court Julie Rubin to fill the upcoming vacancy on the federal District Court for Maryland. Both senators provided introductory remarks for a hearing held today. "Judge Julie Rubin will bring tremendous experience to the courtroom after serving as a trial judge for more than a decade handling a diverse range of civil and criminal matters in … Continue Reading
December 15, 2021
Van Hollen Secures Maryland Priorities in NDAA, Legislation Heads to President’s Desk
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement regarding the Senate's passage of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), legislation to fund our national defense and security priorities. The legislation incorporates several bills authored by Senator Van Hollen and investments in key Maryland military installations as well as a pay raise for military and Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees: "Ensuring the safety of Americans at home and … Continue Reading
