Press Releases
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
December 10, 2021
Van Hollen, Brown, Toomey, Warner Press WMATA For Information On 7000 Series Railcars Following the October Derailment in Northern Virginia
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, as well as Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ranking Member Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), and Committee Member Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) sent a letter to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) CEO Paul Wiedefeld requesting information on the circumstances that resulted in the October derailment of the 7000 series metro railcar and removal of all 7000 metro … Continue Reading
December 10, 2021
Van Hollen, Warnock, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Extend Waiver on Student Loan Interest for Duration of COVID-19 National Emergency
This week, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Senate colleagues called on the Biden Administration to continue waiving borrowers' interest on federal student loans for the duration of the COVID-19 national emergency. In a new letter, the lawmakers highlighted how current and former students are still financially recovering from the pandemic, as well as information from the U.S. Department of Education indicating that federal borrowers have saved $5 … Continue Reading
December 10, 2021
Maryland Delegation Announces $600,000 to Enhance Child Safety 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, Andy Harris, M.D. and David Trone (all Md.) today announced $599,029 in federal funding to the Maryland State Police and Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office to support safety and protection for children across the state of Maryland through the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs. "Our children are our future, … Continue Reading
December 09, 2021
Van Hollen, Norton Push for Funding for Union Station Redevelopment as Infrastructure Law Implemented
Today, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and members of the National Capital Region sent a letter urging Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Amtrak Chief Executive Officer William Flynn to prioritize funding for the Washington Union Station Expansion Project as they begin to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law on November 15, 2021. Cosigners of the letter, in addition to Senator Van Hollen, … Continue Reading
December 09, 2021
Team Maryland Announces More Than $2 Million to Increase Local Capacity to Reduce and Prevent the Backlog of DNA Cases
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $2,085,897 in federal funding to help relieve police department backlogs of forensic biology and DNA cases. "Every year, thousands of violent and non-violent crimes - including murders, rapes and assaults - go unsolved because of the backlog in processing DNA for investigations," the lawmakers … Continue Reading
December 08, 2021
Van Hollen Announces Launch of John Amara Walters Memorial Internship
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) announced the launch of the John Amara Walters Memorial Internship - a new paid internship position within his office available to Maryland students attending Howard University. The internship program honors the life and legacy of John Amara Walters, a member of the Senator's staff who died on October 2, 2021 at the age of 29 from complications related to sickle cell disease. "John Amara was a beloved and dedicated member of the Van Hollen family. … Continue Reading
December 08, 2021
Team Maryland Announce American Rescue Plan Funding for Regional Airports Across Maryland for COVID-19 Safety, Cleaning and Operations
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced federal funding to support critical infrastructure improvements to some of Maryland's regional airports, including operations, runway repair and cleaning and sanitization efforts to stop the spread of pathogens. "Maryland's regional airports are essential to our economy, supporting businesses, tourism, and public safety," the lawmakers said. … Continue Reading
December 07, 2021
Van Hollen, Norton, Carper, Maloney, Brown Express Disappointment that Final NDAA Does Not Give D.C. Mayor Control Over D.C. National Guard
Today, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), and Representative Anthony Brown (D-Md.) expressed disappointment that the final National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA) does not give the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard and vowed to keep fighting to enact this important and necessary reform into law. The members said: "We are disappointed that … Continue Reading
December 06, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Outline Chesapeake Bay Priorities for Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (Both D-Md.) wrote Monday to the newly confirmed Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, who leads the Army Corps of Engineers, spotlighting the major priorities across Maryland and their importance to our state. "The enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides an opportunity to accelerate progress on the effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, of which the Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency partner," … Continue Reading
December 06, 2021
Van Hollen, Menendez, Senate Dems Call for Heightened Focus on Human Rights at Upcoming Dialogue with Uzbekistan
Today, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined the Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) in calling on the Biden administration to emphasize human rights during the upcoming Strategic Partnership Dialogue between the United States and Uzbekistan in mid-December. While recognizing Uzbekistan's progress on human rights, the senators pressed the Central Asian nation to enact sweeping reforms as promised by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and specifically raised concerns over … Continue Reading
December 03, 2021
Van Hollen, Brown Press Warrior Met To Negotiate A Fair Contract With Workers’ Union
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) wrote to Walter J. Scheller, Chief Executive Officer Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (Warrior Met), urging him to oversee good-faith negotiations for a fair contract with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). In 2016, when Walter Energy filed for bankruptcy, the UMWA agreed to save the company by sacrificing their wages and benefits packages. The new company, Warrior Met Coal, then asked workers to work most holidays, 12 … Continue Reading
