Press Releases
Van Hollen, Warren, Pressley, Lynch Reintroduce Bill to Provide Americans Immediate Access to Money in Their Bank Accounts
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) reintroduced the Payments Modernization Act, legislation to make Americans’ funds deposited in their bank accounts immediately available for withdrawal. Right now, Americans lose billions of dollars each year in overdraft fees, driving consumers to turn to more costly financial products because of our inefficient payments system. By … Continue Reading
July 18, 2023
Van Hollen, Crapo, Hickenlooper Introduce Bill to Preserve Air Force Fighter Force Structure
To preserve military readiness, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) in introducing the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act. This legislation prevents the closure of Air National Guard (ANG) fighter squadrons at a time when pilot and maintenance manning are at critically low levels. In addition to Senator Van Hollen, Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined as an original co-sponsor. “The … Continue Reading
July 17, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin, Sarbanes Secure Language to Halt Changes to Greenbury Point Access in Annual Defense Bill
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman John P. Sarbanes (all D-Md.) announced provisions in the Senate Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prevent the U.S. Navy from unilaterally curbing access to Greenbury Point Conservation Area at Naval Support Activity Annapolis (NSA Annapolis). The Senators fought to include this provision – and Congressman Sarbanes worked on a corresponding amendment in the House – following community … Continue Reading
July 17, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Appropriations Committee Passage of Nearly $10 Million for Maryland Public Safety and Research Projects in Key Funding Legislation
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), and Senator Ben Cardin (both D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, announced the inclusion of $9,969,000 in direct federal funding for community-led projects throughout Maryland within key Senate Committee legislation. These projects, funded at the Senators’ request, are within the Senate … Continue Reading
July 14, 2023
A Joint Statement from Team Maryland on Updated FBI Criteria
Today, members of Maryland’s federal, state, and local governments including Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey, and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks released the following statement regarding the General Services Administration’s updated criteria for the selection of the new … Continue Reading
July 14, 2023
Following Years-Long Push, Van Hollen, Markey Join VP Harris in Baltimore to Announce Launch of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper, and House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) will join Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to announce the launch of the National Clean Investment Fund and the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator – two competitive grant programs under the $27 … Continue Reading
July 13, 2023
Van Hollen Secures $375M for New FBI Headquarters in Senate FSGG Appropriations Bill
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) released the following statement regarding the inclusion of $375 million in funding for a new FBI Headquarters within the passage of the Committee’s Fiscal Year 2024 funding legislation by the full Senate Appropriations Committee: “The FBI is in desperate need of a new, consolidated headquarters that can meet the security and mission … Continue Reading
July 13, 2023
Van Hollen, Warner, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Help First-Time, First-Generation Homebuyers Narrow the Wealth Gap
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) introduced bicameral legislation to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominately Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly. By offering new homeowners a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan, the LIFT Homebuyers Actwill … Continue Reading
July 13, 2023
Van Hollen Statement on Bipartisan Passage of FSGG Appropriations Bill
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) released the following statement regarding the bipartisan passage of the Committee’s Fiscal Year 2024 funding legislation by the full Senate Appropriations Committee: “Our federal funding bills should provide investments in key priorities for our constituents and our country. While today’s bill does not go as far in funding some of … Continue Reading
July 12, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce Biden Judicial Nominee Matthew Maddox to the Senate Judiciary Committee
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) appeared at the Senate Judiciary Committee to introduce U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Maddox at the start of his confirmation hearing for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The senators had recommended Judge Maddox to President Joe Biden who made the nomination earlier this year. “Through years of public service, Judge Maddox has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to upholding the rule … Continue Reading
July 10, 2023
Van Hollen, Huffman Introduce Bill to Fully Fund Special Education
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) introduced the IDEA Full Funding Act. This legislation would finally ensure Congress fulfills its commitment to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In 1975, Congress passed IDEA to ensure that every child with a disability has access to educational opportunity. This law was a historic step forward, but since its passage Congress has failed to provide the funding it … Continue Reading
July 10, 2023
Maryland Delegation Members Announce More Than $650,000 for Wildlife Disease Prevention, Including to Combat Avian Flu
Today, 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 $665,266 in federal funding to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to control the spread of wildlife diseases. With this federal funding through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Zoonotic Disease Initiative grant program, Maryland DNR will form a working group for wildlife … Continue Reading
July 07, 2023
Van Hollen, Colleagues Urge President Biden to Coordinate Strategy to Maximize Offshore Wind Development
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) was joined by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) in calling on President Biden to designate a policy lead to facilitate greater interagency coordination around ocean use in order to keep offshore wind projects across the nation on track. The letter also urges the President to maximize leasing space for offshore wind … Continue Reading
July 07, 2023
Van Hollen, Cardin, Ruppersberger Announce Over $1 Million for Baltimore County Public School Infrastructure, Energy Improvement Project
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (all D-Md.) announced $1,273,989 in Department of Energy (DOE) funding to help Baltimore County’s Watershed Public Charter School upgrade its facility to improve the learning environment, air quality, and health outcomes for students and staff. The federal investment comes through the DOE’s $500 million Renew America’s Schools grant program, funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment … Continue Reading
July 06, 2023
Van Hollen, Warren, Jacobs Call on DoD to Release Information on Possible Civilian Casualty from Recent Syria Airstrike
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), a member of the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, expressing concerns that a recent May 2023 U.S. airstrike in Syria may have killed a civilian. Senators Van Hollen and Warren and … Continue Reading
June 30, 2023
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $3.8 Million to Boost Local Meat and Blue Catfish Processing
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Jamie Raskin, David J. Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all Md.) announced $3.8 million through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program for the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation’s (MARBIDCO) loan program to help Maryland-based, small- and … Continue Reading
June 29, 2023
Van Hollen, Menendez, Risch, Colleagues on Anniversary of Hong Kong Handover, National Security Law
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and their Senate colleagues in releasing the following statement marking the 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover and the 3rd anniversary of the Hong Kong “National Security Law.” Joining Senators Menendez and Risch, in addition to Senator Van Hollen, are Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Marco Rubio … Continue Reading
June 28, 2023
Baltimore Receiving $1.5 Million to Improve Safety at Railroad Crossings
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $1,534,280 in federal funding to make safety improvements to the Warner Street Highway-Rail crossing in Baltimore City. Funds will be used to both improve the flow of commuter and freight rail traffic through a busy area of Baltimore City and to conduct a study and support planning for both short and long-term alternatives to the … Continue Reading
June 28, 2023
Maryland Delegation Members Announce Nearly $40 Million for University of Maryland, College Park Electric Bus Project
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Jamie Raskin and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) announced $39,863,156 in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding for the University of Maryland, College Park to replace 35 aging diesel transit buses with battery powered electric buses and add charging stations to their fleet. The funding comes through the Federal Transportation Administration’s Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant program and will reduce fuel … Continue Reading
June 28, 2023
Maryland-National Capital Trail Network Receiving $25 Million for Major Construction, Safety Improvement Projects
Today, 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 $25 million for the Creating Equitable Connections on the Capital Trails Network project in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties and Washington D.C. The federal funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and … Continue Reading
