Press Releases
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $550,000 Investment in Cumberland Infrastructure
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced $550,000 in federal funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for roadway improvements to Baltimore Street in the City of Cumberland.“Revitalizing our communities is crucial to our success as a state. Projects like these create good-paying jobs and help stimulate economic growth in Western Maryland,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committees. “I will continue working … Continue Reading
May 29, 2018
Bipartisan Bill Helps Families Break Out of Poverty and Relocate to Greater Opportunity Areas
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) today announced they introduced legislation to incentivize greater choice and mobility in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Housing Choice Voucher Program. Evidence shows that Housing Choice Vouchers as currently implemented fail to meet their mobility goals. This legislation authorizes a demonstration to better enable families receiving housing vouchers to move to areas with greater opportunities. Families … Continue Reading
May 29, 2018
Ellicott City Flood Recovery Resources and Updates
This month, I witnessed the amazing fortitude and resilience of the people of Ellicott City as they begin the process of cleaning up and rebuilding after another devastating flood. I spoke with owners of small businesses along Main Street who had been just getting back on their feet after the 2016 flood. Neighbors were helping neighbors clean out the debris from flooded homes. The cleanup effort will be long and hard. Some cars are still stacked up against storefronts and large tree branches … Continue Reading
May 25, 2018
Van Hollen Fights ICE Effort to Deport New Carrollton Resident
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen is fighting to prevent the deportation of New Carrollton resident Prince Gbohoutou. The Senator has called senior leadership of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and sent an urgent letter to the Secretary of Department of Homeland (DHS) urging that the Department not remove Mr. Gbohoutou. “Prince Gbohoutou was a child when he legally entered the United States. After violence broke out in the Central African Republic, his family began the process … Continue Reading
May 25, 2018
Van Hollen Statement on Reported ZTE Deal
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s reported deal with ZTE. Earlier this week, the Senate Banking Committee’s passed the Senator’s amendment to prohibit the President from changing penalties on sanctioned Chinese telecommunication companies - including ZTE, and yesterday it was announced that this amendment is included in the National Defense Authorization Act. Senator Van Hollen also joined Andrea Mitchell to … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Critical Funding for Port Maintenance in Energy and Water Appropriations Bill
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he has secured critical funding and strong support for several port maintenance projects in Maryland - including the Port of Baltimore, Knapps Narrows, Poplar Island, and Mid-Chesapeake Bay - in the Senate Appropriations FY 2019 Energy & Water Development Appropriations Bill. “Maryland’s ports are central to our economy, and I’m pleased to announce this additional funding will help maintain and expand these critical projects,” said … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Funding for Key Program for Farmers on the Eastern Shore
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he helped secure $13 million in funding for the Outreach to Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program in the Senate Appropriations FY 2019 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. Since 1990, this program has served as the only Department of Agriculture (USDA) program dedicated to addressing the specific needs of veteran, African-American, American-Indian, Asian-American, and Latino family farmers and ranchers. Through … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Van Hollen Secures $155 million for Jobs, Economic Growth through the Appalachian Regional Commission
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he has helped secure $155 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in the Senate Appropriations FY 2019 Energy & Water Development Appropriations Bill. Since its creation, ARC has invested in 25,000 projects across Appalachia, creating nearly 312,000 jobs and generating $10 billion in added earnings for the region. In FY2017 alone, Maryland received $1.5 million in ARC grants. “ARC funding creates jobs, strengthens our … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Van Hollen Discusses ZTE on NPR Morning Edition
This morning, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined NPR’s Rachel Martin to discuss the Senate Banking Committee’s passage of his amendment to prohibit the President from changing penalties on sanctioned Chinese telecommunication companies - including ZTE - until the Administration certifies to Congress that they have met certain conditions. The audio of the interview is available here and a transcript is available below. RACHEL MARTIN, NPR: President Trump is facing some backlash on … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Van Hollen, Cardin Support Improvements to Veterans’ Health Care
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) released the following statement regarding their support for the bipartisan VA Maintaining Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act today:“There are over 9 million veterans enrolled in the VA health care system who deserve access to world-class medical care. We need to keep our promises to these veterans and their families, which is why we supported the VA MISSION Act today. Like most major pieces of … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Van Hollen, Colleagues Call on CFPB to Protect Public Consumer Complaint Database
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has joined 34 of his colleagues in urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to preserve public access to the Bureau’s Consumer Complaint Database. Last month, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney stated he wanted to shut down the important consumer protection tool that allows consumers to file public complaints, resolve issues and make informed decisions when using financial services. This is one of many actions … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Van Hollen Presses DeVos As Dept. of Ed. Weakens Discrimination Protections
Earlier this year, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) released a new Case Processing Manual that makes it easier for the Department of Education to dismiss discrimination complaints. In a bicameral letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Senator Van Hollen and members of Congress asked for clarifications on changes in policy and reaffirmed the importance of equal protections against discrimination for all Americans. “We are writing to express our serious concerns … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Van Hollen Secures Language in Bipartisan Banking Bill to Block Trump From Walking Back ZTE Sanctions
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen secured language in the bipartisan Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2017 to expressly prohibit the President from changing the penalties on Chinese telecommunication companies — including ZTE — that have sanctions levied against them until the Administration certifies to Congress that they have met certain conditions. In light of the President’s announcement that he has directed the Department of Commerce to look at easing penalties … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
New Plan to Fund Schools Includes Van Hollen Proposal to Invest in Special Education
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that the new Democratic proposal - “A Better Deal for Teachers and Students” - includes his plan to finally ensure Congress meets its commitment to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). “While Republicans pour money into their tax plan for the rich, America’s schools remain underfunded and our teachers go without well-deserved raises. This plan underlines what families across the country know - ensuring that every … Continue Reading
May 21, 2018
Van Hollen, Carper, Udall, Whitehouse Demand Transparency on Pruitt’s Legal Defense Fund
Today Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) wrote to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to follow up on his testimony last week before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, where he confirmed to Senator Van Hollen for the first time that he has set up a legal defense fund. With legal and ethical issues mounting, Mr. Pruitt refused to … Continue Reading
May 21, 2018
Van Hollen: Democrats Provide a Better Deal for Our Democracy
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement regarding the Democrats’ introduction of A Better Deal for Our Democracy: “Over the past year and a half, our country has seen a Republican-controlled government that has worked to promote big banks, special interests, and massive corporations. From tax reform to the rollback of consumer protections, the American people now know where Republicans’ priorities truly lie. Today, Democrats are offering a strong rebuke to … Continue Reading
May 20, 2018
Frederick County Flood Assessment Forms
The Frederick County Division of Emergency Management is collecting information from County residents and businesses on damage and losses suffered as a result of the May 15 and 16th flooding. The information provided will compiled into a Preliminary Damage Assessment which will be used to help FEMA determine if the county is eligible for any types of federal disaster assistance.Please click on the appropriate damage assessment form link, residential or business, in the menu bar on the left.If … Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Van Hollen Presses Sessions on Funding to Address Violence in Baltimore
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen is pressing Attorney General Jeff Sessions to support the City of Baltimore’s efforts to address violent crime. In a letter sent on Wednesday, Van Hollen urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reconsider Baltimore’s exclusion from the Public Safety Partnership (PSP) Program, which was created last year to help cities address violent crime. The letter comes after Sessions expressed an openness to revisiting this issue in a hearing on April 25th with … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Van Hollen, Twenty Senators Urge Extension of Comment Period on Pruitt Rule to Favor Industry-Backed Science
Twenty Senators are asking Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to extend the deadline for weighing in on a proposed rule that would dramatically shrink the body of scientific knowledge the EPA can use in crafting public health and environmental protections. Pruitt’s proposal would apply new “transparency” standards to block medical studies, clinical reports, and other rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific research based on health-related data that cannot be made … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Senators Call for Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza to be Addressed
Following weeks of violence in Gaza, during which roughly 100 Palestinians have been killed and some 10,000 wounded by Israeli snipers, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and 10 of their Democratic Senate colleagues called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to "do more to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.""The territory’s lack of power, clean water, adequate medical care and other necessities not only … Continue Reading
