Press Releases
Van Hollen, Cardin Join in Introducing Bills to Protect Communities, Schools from Assault Weapons
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) in introducing a pair of bills to protect communities from assault weapons. The Assault Weapons Ban would ban the sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and other high-capacity ammunition feeding devices. This includes the gun used by a shooter on January 22 to kill 11 … Continue Reading
January 27, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin, Mfume Announce Over $350,000 to Invest in Baltimore Student Success Inside and Outside of the Classroom
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $385,507 to improve outcomes for high school students in Baltimore City Public Schools. This funding for the University of Maryland, Baltimore through the U.S. Department of Education's Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) program will help underserved local high school students at Renaissance Academy and Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts excel in challenging educational … Continue Reading
January 26, 2023
Van Hollen Leads Colleagues in Introduction of Bills to Reduce Gun Violence, Implement Common-Sense Safety Measures
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) led several of his Democratic colleagues in reintroducing two bills to help curb gun violence and strengthen gun safety. The Senator's ATF Improvement and Modernization (AIM) Act - led by Congressman Don Beyer (D-Va.) in the House - would improve and modernize the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to better equip the Bureau to crack down on gun violence and the illegal use of firearms. The Handgun Permit to Purchase Act - … Continue Reading
January 26, 2023
Van Hollen, Menendez, Blackburn, Coons, Risch, Lankford, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Resolution in Support of Anti-Regime Protests in Iran
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) alongside their Senate colleagues in reintroducing a bipartisan resolution reaffirming the United States' support for the Iranian citizens who have taken to the streets in peaceful protest and condemning Iranian security forces for human rights abuses. In addition to calling on the international community to … Continue Reading
January 25, 2023
Van Hollen, Booker, Barragán Call on EPA to Further Strengthen Safety Standards to Prevent Chemical Disasters and Protect Workers
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (Calif.-44) alongside their colleagues in urging U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to strengthen the Agency's proposed Risk Management Program (RMP) Rule to ensure the strongest possible safeguards at high-risk chemical facilities and protections for workers, environmental justice communities, and first responders. EPA's RMP … Continue Reading
January 24, 2023
Van Hollen, Carper Reintroduce Bill to Grant Statehood to the District of Columbia
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) alongside a group of Senate Democrats in reintroducing legislation to make Washington, D.C. the 51st state. The bill would give Washington D.C. citizens full representation in Congress. The Washington, D.C. Admission Act (S.51) would ensure that the citizens and elected leaders of the District of Columbia have full authority over local affairs, including the selection of judges to fill vacancies on state courts. … Continue Reading
January 24, 2023
Van Hollen, Booker Reintroduce Legislation to Form Commission for Study of Reparation Proposals for African Americans
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in introducing S.40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act, legislation that would establish a commission to consider proposals for reparations for African American descendants of slavery. The legislation is the Senate companion to H.R. 40, introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas-18). The Commission will study the impact of slavery and the continuing … Continue Reading
January 23, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin, Mfume Announce More Than $2.7 Million for Baltimore City Health Department to Combat HIV
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $2,720,663 in federal funding for the Baltimore City Health Department to provide HIV treatment and improve quality of life for low-income patients. The funding comes through the Department of Health and Human Service's ongoing Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A HIV Emergency Relief Grant Program (RWHAP). With this award, the project will be funded through February 2024. "More than 10,000 … Continue Reading
January 20, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes Call for Full Funding for Coast Guard Yard Infrastructure Modernization in President’s Upcoming Budget
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) urged the Biden Administration to include full funding for the critical infrastructure overhaul of the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, in its upcoming proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024. In their letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young, and U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Linda … Continue Reading
January 19, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $300,000 for Allegany College of Maryland Workforce Training Program
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $150,000 in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and $150,000 provided by local governments for the Allegany College of Maryland Workforce Training Enhancement Project. Funding will be used to upgrade Allegany College of Maryland's community theater, which is primarily used to host workforce development programming throughout Western Maryland. More than 7,000 students … Continue Reading
January 18, 2023
Van Hollen Highlights New $600,000 Direct Federal Investment in Dee’s Place for Supportive Addiction Recovery Services in East Baltimore
Tuesday, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) visited Dee's Place - a supportive drug and alcohol recovery center operated by the Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition (HEBCAC) - to tour the facility, greet staff and program participants, and highlight a $600,000 direct federal investment he secured for the Center through the fiscal year 2023 government funding bill. With these resources, Dee's Place will extend its hours of operation to be open 24/7 and 365 days a year and … Continue Reading
January 12, 2023
Van Hollen, Gillibrand, Senate Colleagues Push to Include 12 Weeks of National Paid Family and Medical Leave in President Biden’s Budget
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and a coalition of Senators in calling on the Biden Administration to remain firm in its commitment to paid leave by advancing a national paid family and medical leave program in the FY2024 budget. In the letter, the Senators call for the inclusion of $547 billion in mandatory spending over 10 years to guarantee up to 12 weeks of paid parental, family caregiving, and personal medical leave to all working … Continue Reading
January 06, 2023
Van Hollen Statement on January 6th Insurrection, Two Years Later
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement on the January 6th insurrection on the United States Capitol: "January 6th is one of the darkest days in our history. But most Americans never wavered in our resolve to defend our democracy - and we never will. We must be ever vigilant, never complacent. "While passage of the Electoral Count Reform Act was a positive step forward, we can't stop there. To protect our democracy from states erecting barriers to the … Continue Reading
January 05, 2023
President Biden Signs Van Hollen Legislation to Curb IP Theft
Today, President Biden signed into law U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen's (D-Md.) Protecting American Intellectual Property Act, bipartisan legislation he and Senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) introduced to mandate strong economic penalties on firms and individuals involved in stealing American intellectual property. "In China and other countries across the globe, foreign corporations are working - often in coordination with authoritarian regimes - to steal our cutting edge technologies to gain unfair … Continue Reading
January 05, 2023
Childhood Cancer STAR Reauthorization Act Signed into Law
In an effort to help thousands of children who undergo cancer treatment each year, support the pediatric cancer community, and find new cures and effective treatments, President Biden today signed into law the Childhood Cancer STAR Reauthorization Act of 2022 (S. 4120), legislation led in the U.S. Senate by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) along with 35 additional co-sponsors. The Senators' bill reauthorizes … Continue Reading
January 05, 2023
Van Hollen, Markey Secure Inaugural Funding for Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program to Boost Walking and Biking Infrastructure
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) secured $45 million in funding for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) - first authorized through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - in the end-of-the-year omnibus legislation. This first-time funding will support the development of walking and biking infrastructure that connects to accessible, affordable, and safe active transportation networks, allowing people to reach destinations … Continue Reading
January 03, 2023
Van Hollen Statement on Swearing in to Second Term
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding his swearing in for a second term to serve the people of Maryland in the United States Senate. Video footage of the Senator's swearing in can be found here and high resolution photos are available upon request. "I am honored to serve the people of Maryland in the United States Senate and grateful for their vote of confidence to represent them for another six years. I know this is an immense … Continue Reading
December 28, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Celebrate Presidential Approval of Bill to Add Bust of Distinguished Marylander Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Capitol, Remove Bust of Dred Scott Author
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today applauded President Joe Biden's final approval of legislation that would remove the bust of the author of the infamous Dred Scott decision from public display in the U.S. Capitol and add a bust of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to serve on our nation's highest court. As noted in their bill, S. 5229. "While the removal of Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney's bust from the Capitol does not relieve the Congress of the … Continue Reading
December 23, 2022
Van Hollen Secures Maryland Priorities in Defense Bill Signed into Law by President Biden
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) welcomed President Biden's signing of the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law, which included critical investments in Maryland military installations and key legislative priorities that the Senator fought for, as well as a 4.6 percent pay raise for military and Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees. Among others, the Senator secured provisions of two bills he authored to provide a major infrastructure update … Continue Reading
December 23, 2022
Van Hollen Statement on Freedom of the Press, Meeting with Journalist Rana Ayyub
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding freedom of the press and his recent meeting with journalist Rana Ayyub: "Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of democracy, and we must do all we can to defend those who report and reveal the facts, both at home and abroad. Recently, I met with Rana Ayyub, who received the National Press Club's highest honor for press freedom this year - the International John Aubuchon Award. Time Magazine has named her … Continue Reading
