Press Releases
Van Hollen, Blumenthal, Collins Introduce Bipartisan Senate Bill to Eliminate Copays for Veterans Accessing Contraception
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) in introducing the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act to eliminate copayments for contraception covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). While civilians can receive contraception without a copay through the Affordable Care Act and active duty servicemembers can receive health care-including basic contraceptive services-without copays through TRICARE, VA … Continue Reading
August 02, 2022
Van Hollen, Menendez, Cardin Introduce Resolution Calling for Credible Elections in Angola
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chairman of the SFRC Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy; Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) introduced a Senate resolution calling for free, fair, and peaceful elections in Angola on August 24. In addition to urging the Government of Angola to take specific steps to ensure the credibility of the upcoming election, the resolution also calls for the United States to hold … Continue Reading
August 01, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce Bill to Fund Vital Firehouse Upgrades
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) introduced legislation to create a new federal funding program to help construct and upgrade fire stations in Maryland and across the country. They announced the bill during a visit to Baltimore County Fire Station No. 4 in Catonsville. In April 2022, Senator Van Hollen's office asked the Maryland State Firemen's Association (MSFA) to conduct a survey of volunteer fire departments (VFDs) across Maryland. The survey revealed … Continue Reading
August 01, 2022
Van Hollen, Durbin, Warnock, Senate Democrats Call on Biden Administration to Increase the Rate of Refugee Admissions
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in calling on the Biden Administration to work urgently to increase the rate of refugee admissions for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. In a letter to President Joe Biden, the Senators further urge the President to maintain or increase the target of 125,000 refugee admissions in FY 2023 and take meaningful steps to meet this target. "According to the United … Continue Reading
August 01, 2022
Van Hollen, Warner, Crapo Unveil Bipartisan Caucus to Fuel Investment in Rural & Low-Income Communities
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) in announcing the creation of the Senate Community Development Finance Caucus (CDFC), a bipartisan caucus dedicated to supporting the missions of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) to scale their activities and fuel more lending in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. The 14-member caucus is bipartisan and evenly … Continue Reading
August 01, 2022
Van Hollen Meets with Organizations Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence, Highlights New Federal Actions, Funds to Support Them
Friday, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) hosted a roundtable discussion with community leaders and organizations that support survivors of domestic violence to discuss new funding awards and provisions passed by Congress to help survivors of intimate partner and gender-based violence. The Senator highlighted efforts to successfully reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which included an expansion of vital protections for survivors. He also discussed direct federal investments … Continue Reading
July 29, 2022
Van Hollen, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause
Ahead of the federal student loan payment pause set to expire at the end of next month, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), alongside Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.-14), Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.-29), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), in urging the Biden Administration to extend the student loan payment pause beyond August 31, 2022. Senator Van Hollen has … Continue Reading
July 28, 2022
Van Hollen, Leahy Announce Appropriations Language Requiring State Department Report on the Shooting Death of American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, announced the inclusion of legislative text within the Committee-released State and Foreign Operations report requiring the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress on the steps taken to facilitate and support an independent, credible, and transparent investigation into the shooting death of … Continue Reading
July 28, 2022
Van Hollen Secures Maryland Priorities in Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Package Passed by Senate Today
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) announced the Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (S. 4136) including key priorities he worked to secure in the legislation for Maryland. The legislation as a whole authorizes much-needed investments in our nation's water infrastructure including to support clean drinking water and healthy communities, improve our environment, and strengthen our economy. For Maryland, the bill includes key resources to ensure our shipping … Continue Reading
July 28, 2022
Van Hollen, Hirono, Warren Urge VA to Immediately Begin Offering Abortion Services to Veterans and Eligible Dependents
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take immediate administrative action to offer abortions and all abortion-related services to veterans and eligible dependents. Following the far-right Supreme Court's disastrous Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, over 800,000-or half of women veterans in this country-live in states that are certain or likely to ban … Continue Reading
July 28, 2022
Van Hollen Releases Text of FSGG Appropriations Bill, Including $500 Million in Funding for New FBI Headquarters, Investments in Economic Prosperity for Our Communities, Removal of Harmful Legacy Riders
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, released the text of the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations bill. The Subcommittee provides funding for the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and more than two dozen independent federal agencies. "Our federal funding bills should provide investments in key priorities for our … Continue Reading
July 27, 2022
Van Hollen Secures Two Climate Provisions in Newly Released Inflation Reduction Act; Applauds Progress on Combatting Climate Change, Rising Costs
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement applauding the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes key provisions from the Senator's HOPE for HOMES Act and his and Senator Markey's Clean Energy Accelerator (National Climate Bank) proposal: "We are facing the moment of truth in our battle to confront the climate crisis. We need to act - and we can't afford to wait any longer. The costs and harms of doing too little are rising by the day. Moreover, seizing this … Continue Reading
July 27, 2022
Van Hollen Statement Following Meeting with Family of American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement after his meeting with Anton Abu Akleh, the brother of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh who was recently shot and killed while reporting on an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin: "Standing up for the freedom of the press and the rights of American citizens cannot be a priority only when it's convenient. The United States must defend these values and hold both our friends and foes … Continue Reading
July 27, 2022
Van Hollen Provisions Pass Senate in Bipartisan Bill to Enhance American Competitiveness in Technology, Innovation
Senator Van Hollen delivers a speech on the U.S. Senate floor on July 26 urging passage of the bipartisan competition package Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) voted to support Senate passage of the bipartisan competition package to boost American leadership in innovation and technology, including key provisions the Senator worked to secure. The CHIPS and Science Act invests in American semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and emerging technologies and will lower … Continue Reading
July 27, 2022
Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Sound Alarm on Climate Crisis in Letter Requesting Appropriated Funds to Support President Biden’s Use of the Defense Production Act
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) sent a letter to Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee Chair, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), requesting the committee support President Biden's use of the Defense Production Act to strengthen the U.S. solar panel supply chain by including funding to the maximum extent possible in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. "Manufacturing the components and building the supply chains to power the … Continue Reading
July 27, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Sarbanes, Ruppersberger Announce $900,000 to Improve Tipton Airport
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen John Sarbanes and Dutch Ruppersberger (all D-Md.) announced $900,000 in federal funding to improve access to Tipton Airport in Anne Arundel County. The funds will allow the airport to reconstruct and rehabilitate their access road and are administered through the Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program (AIP)'s Military Airport Program. The members have consistently fought … Continue Reading
July 26, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Sarbanes Announce $4 Million to Mitigate Noise for Residents Near BWI Marshall Airport
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) announced $4,000,000 in federal funding to support noise mitigation efforts for residents living near the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. This funding will support the installation of noise mitigation measures for over 220 residences in Glen Burnie. Following the transition to NextGen flight paths, the lawmakers have worked with local Maryland communities, facilitating … Continue Reading
July 26, 2022
Van Hollen, Warren, Porter, Cárdenas Reintroduce the Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act
Today, United States Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representatives Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.) in reintroducing the bipartisan Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act, legislation that would strengthen oversight and enforcement of federal mental health and substance use disorder parity laws. This bill was previously introduced in 2016, 2018, and again in 2019. For the first time, the Behavioral Health Coverage … Continue Reading
July 26, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Sarbanes, Brown Announce $1 Million for Continued Capacity Building at the Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corporation
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen John Sarbanes and Anthony Brown (all D-Md.) announced $1,114,539 in federal funding through the Department of Transportation to help the Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corporation in Salisbury, which specializes in cruise ship production, with increased demand for cruise travel as recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Funding comes through the Department of Transportation's Fiscal Year 2022 Maritime Administration (MARAD) … Continue Reading
July 26, 2022
Van Hollen, U.S. Department of Commerce Invest $3.2 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for Flood Protection Measures to Support Business Development in Annapolis, Maryland
Today, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3.2 million grant to the city of Annapolis, Maryland, for the design and engineering of a new city dock employing flood prevention measures. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan. This project will provide the modern and climate-resilient infrastructure necessary to support established businesses and attract … Continue Reading
