Press Releases
Van Hollen Talks Shutdown, Trump Deal on Senate Floor
"Since when does the President dictate what we do here in the United States Senate? That's a question for every Member." Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke on the Senate floor on the current status of the shutdown. Excerpts of the Senator's remarks are available below and video of the Senator's full speech is available here: "On December 11th of last year, at a meeting at the White House, President Trump said he would be 'proud' - 'proud' - to shut down the government of the United … Continue Reading
January 18, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, 170 Members of Congress Sign Letter to Trump on Shutdown Housing Crisis
Letter urges the President to immediately re-open the Department of Housing and Urban Development U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have joined 170 of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump on the direct and immediate consequences of the shutdown on housing security for more than four million Americans across the country who rely on the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) rental assistance initiatives. The Senators state, "We write … Continue Reading
January 17, 2019
Van Hollen Joins Senators in Seeking Information on Universal Flu Vaccine Research
Senators helped secure dedicated research funding to develop a broader, longer-lasting flu vaccine Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.),Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Angus S. King Jr. (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in asking the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to provide an update on research initiatives to develop a universal flu vaccine. Last year, NIAID … Continue Reading
January 17, 2019
Van Hollen Cosponsors Bipartisan Resolution Recognizing ‘National Mentoring Month’
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) cosponsored a bipartisan Senate resolution recognizing January 2019 as "National Mentoring Month" to raise awareness of the power of mentors to help young people determine their goals and reach their full potential. The resolution recognizes the benefits of mentoring, as well as mentoring programs, and volunteers who serve as mentors. The resolution also highlights the positive effects of young people who have a mentor. According to MENTOR: The National … Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
Van Hollen, Colleagues Introduce Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act
Senators Want to Make Sure Federal Contract Workers Hurt by Shutdown Receive Their Paychecks Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with his colleagues Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), introduced legislation to secure back pay for the federal contractor employees who continue to go without pay during the current government shutdown. The bill-the Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees … Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
Van Hollen, Gallego, Cotton, & Gallagher Introduce Bill to Impose Denial Orders on Chinese Telecom Companies That Violate U.S. Sanctions
Today Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) introduced the bipartisan Telecommunications Denial Order Enforcement Act to direct the President to impose denial orders banning the export of U.S. parts and components to Chinese telecommunications companies that are in violation of U.S. export control or sanctions laws. The legislation follows the news that Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial … Continue Reading
January 11, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Kaine & Warner Request Information on the Impact of the Shutdown on WMATA
Md. & Va. Senators express concern about the effect of a prolonged shutdown on vital transportation networks Today Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.), along with Tim Kaine and Warner (both D-Va.), wrote a letter to Paul J. Wiedefeld, General Manager and CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), seeking information on the impact that the partial government shutdown has had on WMATA's transit system, ridership, operational services, staffing, … Continue Reading
January 11, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce Legislation to Protect Federal Workers from Losing Their Homes, Falling Behind on Paying Bills During Shutdown
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) in introducing the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act. The new legislation would protect federal workers and their families from foreclosures, evictions, and loan defaults during a government shutdown. "Federal workers are already suffering the consequences of the government shutdown. I've heard from many of my constituents facing rent and mortgage … Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Van Hollen, Democratic Senators Press Trump Administration to Ensure Federal Contractor Employees Receive Pay
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined 33 additional Democratic Senators in writing to the Office of Management and Budget to urge them to direct federal agencies to work with contractors to provide back pay to compensate low- and middle-income contractor employees for the wages they have lost during the shutdown. Under their existing authority, federal contracting officers should use provisions that allow them to modify the terms of the contract to work with contractors to … Continue Reading
January 09, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Ask IRS for Details on How They Will Fulfill Plan to Issue Taxpayer Refunds with 88 Percent of Staff Currently Furloughed
Nineteen days into the federal government shutdown, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) are seeking details from Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Rettig on the announcement earlier this week that the tax filing season and processing of refunds would be on-schedule at the end of January. Currently, approximately 88 percent of IRS employees have been locked out of their jobs, freezing core preparations and trainings for the upcoming tax season. The remaining … Continue Reading
January 09, 2019
Team Maryland Announces $10.6 Million in Federal Funding to Assess Needs of Maryland’s Children
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, together with U.S. Representatives Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5), Elijah E. Cummings (MD-7), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2), John P. Sarbanes (MD-3), Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-1), Anthony Brown (MD-4), Jamie Raskin (MD-8) and David Trone (MD-6) announced today that Maryland has been awarded $10.6 million through the Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five program to conduct a statewide, comprehensive birth through age five needs assessment for … Continue Reading
January 09, 2019
Van Hollen Statement on ICE Detainment of Frederick County Resident, Roxana Orellana Santos
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement regarding the detainment of Roxana Orellana Santos. "ICE's decision to detain Ms. Santos is deeply disturbing - this mother of four fled violence in El Salvador seeking a safer life for herself and her family. Ms. Santos was arrested without just cause and has since been vindicated in a federal court case. Ms. Santos has routinely complied with ICE and is currently working through the system to obtain legal residency. This … Continue Reading
January 08, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Kaine, and Warner to Trump: Hear Our Federal Employees
Senators Urge Trump to Meet Face-to-Face with Federal Workers Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) led a letter with U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) to President Trump urging him to meet with federal workers suffering from the impacts of the shutdown. The Senators write, "We are writing to ask that you meet with some of the federal civil servants who are either working without pay or locked out of their job as a result of the government … Continue Reading
January 08, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Warner, Kaine to Colleagues: Voting on House Bills to End Shutdown Should be First Order of Business
Last night, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) sent a letter to their Democratic colleagues urging them to refuse to conduct business as usual on the floor of the Senate this week. They argue that the first vote we take this year should be to end the government shutdown. "We write to urge you to join us in voting against the motion to proceed on Tuesday evening because the Senate should vote on the House-passed Appropriations … Continue Reading
January 04, 2019
Van Hollen, Colleagues Plan to Introduce Legislation to Ensure Low-Wage Federal Contract Employees Receive Back Pay
Senators Want to Make Sure Contract Workers Hurt by Shutdown Receive Their Paychecks Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with his colleagues Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), pledged to stand up for low-wage federal contract workers by announcing plans to introduce legislation to secure back pay for the contractor employees who have gone without pay during the government shutdown. Each day, … Continue Reading
January 04, 2019
Van Hollen Meets with Prince George’s County Delegation Chair, Newly-elected House and Senate Members
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) met with the newly-elected members and Chair of the Prince George's County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly. Senator Van Hollen, a former member of the General Assembly, discussed ways to coordinate federal and state resources. Additionally, the Senator provided an update to the officials on the government shutdown and his work in the Senate. Throughout the year, Senator Van Hollen will be making an effort to meet with all of the Maryland … Continue Reading
January 03, 2019
Van Hollen Statement on House Passage of Legislation to Fund the Government
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the House passage of two pieces of legislation to end the current shutdown. One bill funds the Department of Homeland Security at current levels - the same level President Trump previously signed into law - until February 8th. The second bill would fund all the other government agencies for the full fiscal year. "The House of Representatives, led by Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, passed legislation … Continue Reading
January 03, 2019
Van Hollen Reintroduces Legislation to Ensure Retroactive Pay to Government Employees
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined 25 of his Senate colleagues in the bipartisan introduction of legislation to protect government workers from the detrimental impacts of a government shutdown that was brought on through no fault of their own. The country is now two weeks into the Trump Shutdown - which has shuttered nine federal departments and ground services for American families to a halt. More than 450,000 civil servants are now working without pay - including the men and women … Continue Reading
January 03, 2019
Van Hollen Discusses Shutdown State of Play on MSNBC with Chris Hayes
Mitch McConnell "going to have a hell of a time explaining" Refusal to Bring House Bill to a Vote Last night, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) discussed the current status of the government shutdown, including legislation to reopen the government that is expected to pass the House today. In addition to his efforts to reopen the government, Senator Van Hollen has worked continuously to ensure that federal workers will receive retroactive pay following the shutdown, and to end President … Continue Reading
January 01, 2019
Van Hollen, Democratic Senators Urge Trump to Reverse Course, Raise Pay for Federal Employees
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him in the strongest possible terms to back off a pay freeze for civilian federal employees in 2019. The letter comes in addition to numerous efforts by Senator Van Hollen on behalf of federal employees. Prior to the shutdown, the Senator filed an amendment to the Senate's short-term Continuing … Continue Reading
