Press Releases
Van Hollen, Booker Re-Introduce Legislation to Boost Teacher Compensation by up to $15,000
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) alongside Representatives Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), John Larson (D-Conn.), and Mark Takano (D-Calif.) in introducing legislation that would boost teacher compensation by putting tax money back in their pockets and help diversify the teaching workforce. The bill, called the Respect, Advancement, and Increasing Support for Educators (RAISE) Act, would provide educators with a minimum of $1000 in … Continue Reading
May 03, 2022
Van Hollen, Menendez, Rubio, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Commemorate World Press Freedom Day
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) alongside Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Time Kaine (D-Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jim Moran (R-Kan.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas) in introducing a Senate Resolution to commemorate World Press Freedom Day and to recognize growing threats to press freedom and free expression worldwide. The bipartisan resolution reaffirms the vital role that a free and … Continue Reading
May 03, 2022
Van Hollen Statement on Supreme Court Draft Opinion Overturning Roe v. Wade
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade: "If this draft decision stands, the Supreme Court will strip Americans of their reproductive rights and put at risk the lives and health of tens of millions of women. This deeply damaging and draconian opinion would overturn almost fifty years of precedent - following the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade to uphold a woman's constitutional … Continue Reading
May 02, 2022
Van Hollen, Rosen Urge President Biden to Expedite Solar Tariff Investigation Decision
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) alongside Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) in a bipartisan letter urging President Joe Biden to expedite and bring to a swift conclusion the Administration's investigation into solar panels and cells imported from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia and requesting a meeting to discuss this issue. This investigation could expand harmful, job-killing tariffs on solar imports, raising … Continue Reading
May 02, 2022
Van Hollen, Merkley Call for Transition to a Clean Energy Economy to Protect American National Security and Combat Price Gouging by Fossil Fuel Companies
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) alongside Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in introducing a Senate Resolution condemning oil and gas companies profiteering off the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and urging a swift transition to a clean energy economy as a core national security priority. "No one should be profiteering from Putin's brutal war in Ukraine, … Continue Reading
May 02, 2022
Van Hollen, Maryland Congressional Members join EPA to Announce $40 Million from Infrastructure Law for Chesapeake Bay Restoration
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, and Jamie Raskin (all D-Md.) joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) senior leaders to announce the award of $40 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for actions to help restore the Chesapeake Bay and advance efforts to promote environmental justice and counter climate change. The $40 million is part of $238 million targeted for the … Continue Reading
May 02, 2022
Maryland Delegation Announces Nearly $750,000 to Support Natural Resources Stewardship and Conserve Wildlife, Habitats in Maryland
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $737,527 to support natural resource stewardship efforts and conserve imperiled wildlife and their habitats. This U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service federal funding through the State Wildlife Grant (SWG) Program will be distributed to state wildlife agencies to address conservation needs and … Continue Reading
May 02, 2022
Congressional Delegation Members Welcome Progress on Printing and Engraving Production Facility in Maryland
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer and Anthony G. Brown (all D-Md.) released the following statement on the transfer of property from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) - an important step toward the Bureau's opening of a new currency production facility in Prince George's County, Maryland. "Maryland is proud to serve as the home of many of our … Continue Reading
April 28, 2022
Van Hollen, Young Urge Administration to Engage with Lebanon to Support On-Time, Free, & Fair Parliamentary Elections
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging the Administration to engage with Lebanon to ensure fairness and transparency in its upcoming parliamentary elections on May 15. In light of the ongoing political, economic, and health crises in Lebanon, the Senators stressed the importance of maintaining the scheduled elections and ensuring they are conducted with integrity. The Senators begin, "We … Continue Reading
April 26, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Over $238,000 in American Rescue Plan Funding to Connect Maryland Students to Internet Service
Today, 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.) announced $238,825 to help provide Maryland schools with the tools and services they need to enhance internet connectivity in their communities. These funds were provided by the Federal Communications Commission through the Emergency Connectivity Fund - a fund that the lawmakers helped establish in the … Continue Reading
April 26, 2022
Van Hollen, Warren, Warnock, Colleagues Ask Department of Education for its Plans to Provide a "Fresh Start" to Student Loan Borrowers in Default
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, asking the Department of Education (ED) for details about its plan to give a "fresh start" to student loan borrowers in default before loan payments resume after August 31, 2022. Their letter follows ED's recent … Continue Reading
April 25, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Mfume, Mayor Scott, and Community Leaders Highlight New $2 Million Direct Federal Investment in the Revitalization of Pennsylvania Avenue Market
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) were joined by Mayor Brandon Scott and community leaders at the historic Pennsylvania Avenue Market to highlight a new federal investment of $2 million they worked to secure for the Market. These funds will go directly to revitalizing the market and will help provide access to healthy foods for area residents, support local entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses and provide more jobs, and … Continue Reading
April 25, 2022
Van Hollen, Warren Pushing Pentagon on Accountability for Civilian Harm
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), alongside Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in sending a letter to Secretary Lloyd J. Austin, III, urging the Department of Defense (DoD) to consider certain issues in its ongoing efforts to address systemic weaknesses regarding instances of civilian harm. After the Senators and bicameral colleagues called … Continue Reading
April 25, 2022
Van Hollen Statement on Midtown-Belvedere Starbucks Employees’ Vote to Unionize
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the followingstatement regarding the unanimous vote by the employees of the Baltimore Midtown-Belvedere Starbucks to unionize: "Workers deserve the right to organize to improve pay, working conditions, and more. Today, Baltimore Starbucks workers voted to do just that, becoming the first in a Maryland Starbucks to lead this charge. I applaud these trailblazing employees for their initiative, and I will continue to support all Maryland … Continue Reading
April 22, 2022
Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces More than $6 Million in Reimbursement Funds for Baltimore City COVID-19 Emergency Sheltering
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $6,425,646 in federal funding to reimburse the City of Baltimore for costs related to non-group, temporary housing during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding comes from the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as authorized through Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act. The award of $6,421,134 … Continue Reading
April 21, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce Bill to Honor Henrietta Lacks with Congressional Gold Medal
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced the introduction of a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Henrietta Lacks in recognition of her extraordinary life and legacy. Lacks, a Black woman who lived in Baltimore, died of cervical cancer in 1951. During her cancer treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, doctors took samples of her tumor, and from this the HeLa cell line was created - the first immortal line of human cells. Without her or … Continue Reading
April 15, 2022
Van Hollen Welcomes Biden Administration Action to Protect Cameroonians Fleeing Violence, Humanitarian Crisis
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) applauded the Biden Administration's Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation to Cameroon, which will provide lifesaving protections for Cameroonian nationals in the United States amid the current humanitarian crisis in the country. The Senator wrote twice to President Biden in recent months - in November and again last month - calling for TPS for Cameroon. "I have long advocated for this action and I applaud the Biden Administration's … Continue Reading
April 13, 2022
Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces More than $170,000 in Federal Funding to Help Spur Economic Growth & Support Minority-Owned Businesses in Baltimore
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $170,699 to help spur economic growth and support minority-owned businesses in communities and industries most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury, under the Emergency Capital Investment Program (ECIP), will be directed to Harbor Bank of Maryland, a Baltimore-based Community Development Financial … Continue Reading
April 11, 2022
Van Hollen Lauds Biden Administration Executive Action to Crack Down on Ghost Guns and Reduce Gun Violence
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) applauded executive actions that President Biden announced this afternoon to address the epidemic of gun violence our nation is facing, including safeguards on the production and sale of unserialized firearm components - also known as "ghost guns" - that hepushed the administration to finalize earlier this year. "In Maryland, we've seen the toll these untraceable weapons have taken on our communities - and that's why our General Assembly stood … Continue Reading
April 11, 2022
Maryland Delegation Announces More than $3 Million in Pandemic Reimbursement Funds to Montgomery County Public Schools
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen John Sarbanes, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $3,582,069 in federal funding to reimburse the Montgomery County Education Department for pandemic-related expenses incurred by the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) system. Funding comes from the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as authorized through Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act. The funding … Continue Reading
