Press Releases
Van Hollen, Murphy, Coons, Merkley, 21 Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Work with Israel to Take 5 Steps to Get More Humanitarian Aid into Gaza
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) on Friday led 21 colleagues in a letter to President Biden urging the administration to encourage Israeli officials to take five specific steps to significantly increase urgently needed humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. “The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is dire and the civilian suffering is at an unacceptable and staggering level. Ninety-three percent of Palestinians in Gaza … Continue Reading
February 02, 2024
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Over $1.5 Million to Strengthen Flood Protections in Cambridge
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced $1,612,926 to bolster flooding mitigation efforts in the City of Cambridge in Dorchester County. The federal funds, provided through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, will support the design and permitting of a flood barrier along the shoreline of the Choptank River with a nature-based living shoreline to weaken wave strength, prevent erosion, … Continue Reading
January 30, 2024
Van Hollen Joins Congressional Democrats in Filing Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Reverse Dangerous Ruling That Would Restrict Access to Mifepristone Nationwide & Upend FDA Approval Process
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Representatives Jeffries, Clark, Pallone, Nadler, DeGette, and Lee and many of their Democratic colleagues in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, urging the Supreme Court to reverse a stay from Texas District … Continue Reading
January 30, 2024
Van Hollen Joins Warren, Fetterman, Schumer, Senators in Urging Biden Administration to Swiftly Deschedule Marijuana
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), alongside their Democratic colleagues, including U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), in sending a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram, urging them to remove marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The letter comes after an August 2023 recommendation from the U.S. Department … Continue Reading
January 26, 2024
Van Hollen Statement on Retirement Announcement from Rep. Ruppersberger
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding U.S. Representative Dutch Ruppersberger’s announcement of his retirement: “My friend Representative Dutch Ruppersberger has spent years fighting for the people of Baltimore, his district, and our nation. I'm grateful for his decades of exemplary public service, including his work on behalf of our national security. Dutch’s dedication to bettering the lives of Marylanders has always driven him forward - … Continue Reading
January 25, 2024
Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Applaud New IRS Guidance and Relief for Constituents Hurt by 529 Prepaid College Trust System Error
The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced special tax relief for Marylanders affected by system errors with the Maryland Prepaid College Trust (PCT) — answering the calls for such relief led by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Representative Jamie Raskin (Md.-08), and Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (Md.-02), John Sarbanes (Md.-03) and David Trone (Md.-06). The lawmakers had urged the IRS to allow Maryland taxpayers with PCT accounts to execute … Continue Reading
January 25, 2024
Van Hollen, Cardin, Ruppersberger, Trone Announce Over $500,000 to Support Housing in Rural Areas
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $532,500 to support housing assistance projects in rural communities in Maryland. The federal funding, provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development grant program, will help the Interfaith Housing Alliance acquire and rehabilitate 15 homes in Carroll, Frederick, and Washington Counties, providing 15 low and very-low income individuals and families … Continue Reading
January 24, 2024
Van Hollen Joins Schatz, Group of 49 Senators in Announcing Amendment to Reaffirm U.S. Support for a Two-State Solution
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and a majority of the Senate Democratic Caucus in announcing plans to file an amendment to the forthcoming national security supplemental package that reiterates longstanding U.S. policy in support of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Senators Van Hollen and Schatz were joined by 47 senators, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Patty … Continue Reading
January 23, 2024
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce More Than $100,000 for Community Development Projects Across Western Maryland
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $112,900 in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant funding for community development projects across Western Maryland. The federal funding, provided by the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities grant program, will be used to support a number of projects in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington Counties that will enhance quality of life for residents of communities in the … Continue Reading
January 22, 2024
Maryland Delegation Announces Over $4 Million to Repair and Replace Electric Vehicle Chargers
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) announced $4,360,176 in federal funding for the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to repair and replace 25 electric vehicle (EV) chargers in six counties across the state. “The bipartisan infrastructure law is supporting a significant federal investment in our nationwide transition from gas to electric … Continue Reading
January 22, 2024
Van Hollen, Sanders, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Combat Corporate Greed and End Outrageous CEO Pay
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), introduced the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act to take on corporate greed by raising taxes on companies that pay their top executives at least 50 times more than the pay of a typical worker.Americans across the political spectrum are outraged by the extreme gaps between CEO and worker pay. According … Continue Reading
January 19, 2024
Van Hollen, Durbin, Kaine, Schatz Announce Growing Momentum for Amendment Requiring the Use of U.S. Supplemental Aid Comply with U.S., International Law
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin, (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced growing momentum around their amendment to require that the weapons received by any country under the proposed national security supplemental are used in accordance with U.S. law, international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict. The amendment is now supported by Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Tammy … Continue Reading
January 19, 2024
Van Hollen Joins Warnock, Durbin in Raising Concerns About Facial Recognition Software, Demanding Better DOJ Oversight
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and their Senate colleagues in raising concerns with the Department of Justice (DOJ) that funding facial recognition software, which can be inaccurate and unreliable, may lead to violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits “discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” The Senators also called for … Continue Reading
January 18, 2024
Congressional Soccer Caucus Co-Chairs, Bicameral Group to Introduce Resolution in Support of U.S. Soccer's Bid for the 2027 Women's World Cup
The Co-Chairs of the Congressional Soccer Caucus and other members of Congress announced they will introduce a bipartisan, bicameral concurrent resolution in support of the United States Soccer Federation's bid for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, which would be hosted jointly by the United States and Mexico. The full text of the Senate Concurrent Resolution can be read here. The full text of the House Concurrent Resolution can be read here. U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Todd Young … Continue Reading
January 18, 2024
Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Research the Impact Microplastics Have on Healthy Farming Practices
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), along with Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), introduced legislation to research the impact of microplastics on biosolids and the overall health and safety of farming practices. Biosolids are a valuable product of the wastewater treatment process that can be applied as fertilizer to agricultural land to add nutrients to the soil and improve soil structure. Applying biosolids to … Continue Reading
January 18, 2024
Van Hollen, Cardin Praise Judiciary Committee Approval of Nicole Berner for Maryland Seat on Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today lauded the Senate Judiciary Committee for favorably recommending to the full Senate the nomination of Nicole Berner, President Joe Biden’s nominee for the Maryland seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Ms. Berner has been nominated to fill the vacancy created when Judge Diana Gribbon Motz took senior status. Senators Cardin and Van Hollen introduced Ms. Berner to the Judiciary Committee last month at … Continue Reading
January 18, 2024
Van Hollen, Colleagues Urge Financial Regulators to Protect Continued Clean Energy Growth in Basel III Rulemaking
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) led a dozen of his Senate colleagues in urging the top U.S. financial regulators to ensure that the forthcoming final Basel III Capital Requirements allow for continued robust private investment in America’s ongoing clean energy transition. In a letter to Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair Michael Barr, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, the Senators expressed support … Continue Reading
January 17, 2024
Van Hollen Joins Padilla, Colleagues in Calling for Restored Low-Income Water Assistance
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and their Senate colleagues in calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to restore funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) for Fiscal Year 2024. In 2021, Congress appropriated $1.1 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Children and Families to establish a temporary low-income water assistance program to help pay for water and wastewater bills … Continue Reading
January 16, 2024
Van Hollen Statement for the Record on S. Res. 504
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement on his vote on S.Res. 504. In the aftermath of the horrific October 7th terrorist attack, Israel not only has the right, but also a duty to its people, to defend itself and pursue the objectives of ending the military threat posed by Hamas and returning all the hostages unharmed. I support those goals, and therefore do not and would not support a resolution to terminate all U.S. military assistance to … Continue Reading
January 12, 2024
Van Hollen, Cardin, Moore Join U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Partners to Announce $15 Million in Funding for New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Across Maryland
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) and Governor Wes Moore joined U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld and Coppin State University President Anthony L. Jenkins at Coppin State University to announce that the Maryland Clean Energy Center, the state’s official green bank, will receive a $15 million Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program … Continue Reading