Press Releases
Van Hollen Presses Administration to Release New Report on Shooting Death of Shireen Abu Akleh
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, pressing for the release of a new report compiled by the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the shooting death of the American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. “I write today to follow up on my earlier requests that the Department of State make available immediately for Congressional review the 'Summation Report on the Death of Shireen Abu … Continue Reading
May 01, 2023
Van Hollen Statement on Senator Cardin’s Service to the People of Maryland
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding Senator Ben Cardin's service to the people of Maryland: "I salute my friend and our state's senior Senator Ben Cardin on his extraordinary public service to Maryland and our country. It is a privilege to serve alongside him and in partnership every day for the people of our great state. Senator Cardin is driven by an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of Marylanders, advancing social justice, … Continue Reading
April 28, 2023
Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Press FDA for Timely Implementation of Ban on Menthol Cigarettes, Flavored Cigars
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in sending a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf, urging the FDA to promptly finalize its April 28, 2022 announced proposed rules to end the sale of menthol flavor in cigarettes and all flavors in cigars. "We urge the FDA to act with urgency to solidify and enforce the ban on these harmful products," wrote the Senators. "The harmful effects of these products on public health have … Continue Reading
April 27, 2023
Van Hollen, Ruppersberger Lead Bipartisan Push for Defense Department Partnership with UMD-Led Coalition to Support National Security Needs
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (both D-Md.) led a bipartisan group of more than 20 of their Congressional colleagues in writing to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in support of the University of Maryland-led Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Collaborative (MASC) proposal to contribute to the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Microelectronic Commons Initiative. The Microelectronics Commons, which DoD is in the process of implementing, will stand … Continue Reading
April 26, 2023
Van Hollen, Norton, Raskin, Carper Urge Armed Services Committees to Request D.C. Mayor be Given Control over D.C. National Guard in FY24 NDAA
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) urged the House and Senate Armed Services Committees' leadership to include the District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act, which would give the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard, in the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The D.C. National Guard Home Rule Act passed the House as part of the fiscal … Continue Reading
April 26, 2023
Senator Van Hollen and Rep. Velázquez Call on Regulators to Finalize Executive Compensation Rules in Wake of SVB Collapse
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) urged the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) to finalize Section 956 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which governs executive incentive-based compensation arrangements, before the end of the year. The … Continue Reading
April 25, 2023
Van Hollen, Booker Statement on the Situation in Sudan
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chair of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, issued the following statement on the situation in Sudan after the announcement of a three-day ceasefire: "We are extremely grateful to the U.S. Special Forces who … Continue Reading
April 25, 2023
Van Hollen, Young Introduce Bill to Boost Housing Mobility Vouchers, Increase Families’ Access to Opportunity
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced their bipartisan Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act, legislation to create 250,000 new housing mobility vouchers to allow families to move to areas with greater opportunity. The bill is aimed at improving outcomes for families with young children by increasing access to these vouchers and providing counseling services. "A safe and secure home is a critical foundation for a child's success. That's why … Continue Reading
April 25, 2023
Maryland Congressional Members, Mayor Scott Highlight Federal Funding to Move Forward with Highway to Nowhere Redevelopment
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, Congressmen Kweisi Mfume and Dutch Ruppersberger (all D-Md.), and Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott were joined Monday by U.S. Under Secretary of Transportation Carlos Monje and Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld in front of the Highway to Nowhere in West Baltimore to highlight the City's recently awarded $2 million in federal funding to plan for the redevelopment of this structure which has divided West Baltimore for so long. The … Continue Reading
April 24, 2023
Van Hollen, Menendez, Risch, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Recognizing 70th Anniversary of U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, Celebrating U.S.-ROK Alliance
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chairman of the SFRC Subcommittee on East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in addition to Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the SFRC Subcommittee on East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, and four Senate colleagues in unveiling a bipartisan resolution … Continue Reading
April 21, 2023
Van Hollen Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Stay Restrictions on Mifepristone
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision to stay the 5th Circuit Court's restrictions on access to mifepristone: "Mifepristone has been proven safe and effective and has been used by Americans for years. This decision - while temporary - will maintain critical access to reproductive health care. We must continue fighting against these restrictions and those targeting reproductive rights … Continue Reading
April 21, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin Join Kaine, Castro, Colleagues in Calling for Temporary Protected Status Redesignation for El Salvador & Honduras
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and their congressional colleagues in calling on the Biden Administration to continue to protect Salvadorans and Hondurans living in the United States by redesignating El Salvador and Honduras for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Established by the U.S. Congress through the Immigration Act of 1990, TPS is a temporary, renewable program that … Continue Reading
April 21, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin Vote to Extend Federal Funding Support for Local Fire Departments, Urge House to Follow
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) voted to pass the Fire Grants and Safety Act, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Fire Administration along with funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs for the next several years. These grant programs provide funding directly to fire departments to purchase essential equipment, hire more trained frontline firefighters, develop training … Continue Reading
April 20, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Lead Effort to Provide Long-term Authorization for Fort Detrick-based Biodefense Lab
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) have introduced bicameral legislation to authorize the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) at Fort Detrick, Md., and allow this one-of-a kind lab to strengthen its operations. The NBACC supports the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as numerous other federal agencies and partners. For nearly 20 years, the NBACC "has played a key role … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Van Hollen, Schatz Reintroduce Legislation to Avoid Catastrophic Debt Default
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) in reintroducing legislation to avoid default by repealing the national debt ceiling, an arbitrary limit set by Congress on the amount of funding that the United States Treasury may borrow. "A debt default by the United States would throw our economy into chaos and trigger massive job losses. It is time to defuse this economic time bomb that is repeatedly and recklessly used to threaten an economic doomsday in order … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Van Hollen, Markey, Dingell Welcome EPA’s National Climate Bank Network Implementation Framework
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Representative Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) applauded the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) release of an implementation framework for the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This new program, authored by lawmakers within the Inflation Reduction Act, is modeled on their national climate bank legislation. The framework outlines three grant competitions that will help leverage private capital from a diverse array … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Van Hollen, Lee Introduce Bill to Fully Fund Title I, Special Education
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-Nev.) introduced their Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers (PACT) Act, legislation to put Congress on a fiscally responsible path to fully fund Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) on a mandatory basis. Van Hollen has introduced the Keep our PACT Act every term he has served in Congress. Van Hollen and Lee were joined in introducing the legislation by Senators Alex Padilla … Continue Reading
April 18, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer, Sarbanes Deliver Nearly $17 Million in Direct Federal Investments to Anne Arundel County Executive Pittman for Local Projects
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny Hoyer and John Sarbanes joined Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman Monday to present $16,771,500 in congressionally directed federal funding the lawmakers worked to secure within the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations process. The lawmakers and county executive gathered at the Odenton MARC Station, which was one of eight projects highlighted at the event. "Investing federal dollars directly in our state spurs local … Continue Reading
April 18, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin Join Colleagues to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to End Corrupt Stock Trading Activities by Members of Congress
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Wash.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and their colleagues in introducing the bipartisan, bicameral Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act. The ETHICS Act is new, comprehensive legislation that would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from abusing their positions for personal financial gain by owning or trading securities, commodities, or … Continue Reading
April 18, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce U.S. Magistrate Judge Brendan Hurson at Senate Judiciary Hearing for Maryland U.S. District Court Seat
On Tuesday, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) presented U.S. Magistrate Judge Brendan Hurson to the Senate Judiciary Committee for his hearing to be a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The senators had recommended Hurson to President Joe Biden to fill a current vacancy. "In Brendan Hurson, President Biden has nominated a judge deeply committed to providing Americans with fair, just, and equal treatment under the law. From his … Continue Reading
