Press Releases
Van Hollen Presses Treasury to Provide Crucial Flexibility in State, Local Use of ARP Funding for Broadband
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urging the Department of the Treasury to provide crucial flexibility to state and local governments in the use of American Rescue Plan funds in order to help close the digital divide and ensure families can afford broadband. Under the American Rescue Plan, state and local governments are able to use … Continue Reading
July 07, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Urge Education Department to Expand Debt Relief for Student Loan Borrowers
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and 20 of their Senate colleagues in urging Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to expand student debt relief in the Department’s upcoming higher education rulemaking.In a letter to Secretary Cardona, the members highlighted the need for policies that improve and expand our existing student loan repayment and … Continue Reading
July 07, 2021
Van Hollen, Colleagues File Brief Urging Restoration of Judicial Oversight of Deadlocked, Ineffective FEC
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) filed a brief in a major campaign finance case before the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit calling to restore judicial oversight over the broken Federal Elections Commission (FEC) in the wake of Citizens United. The senators, who have experienced firsthand the post-Citizens United deluge of political spending, show the … Continue Reading
July 07, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Make First Requests to Appropriators for Maryland Community Projects
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Card (both D-Md.) have submitted their first requests in a series for Fiscal Year 2022 to the Senate Appropriations Committee for Congressionally Directed Spending for Community Projects. This marks the first time since 2010 that the Senate has permitted such requests, which, under new guidelines, must meet strict transparency and funding requirements. In this first round, to the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee and the Agriculture & Food … Continue Reading
July 06, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $54 Million in American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Children with Disabilities
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $53,968,575 from the American Rescue Plan to strengthen special education services for children across the state.“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges for special education services across our state,” the lawmakers said. “This new infusion of American Rescue Plan … Continue Reading
July 03, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on Circuit Court Ruling to Maintain Marylanders’ Extended Unemployment Benefits
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the Baltimore City Circuit Court ruling to issue a temporary restraining order, maintaining Marylanders’ expanded federal unemployment benefits: “As our state works to recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, many Marylanders are still grappling with its devastating impacts. The Governor’s decision to abruptly cut off unemployment benefits put many struggling families at risk of … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Sarbanes, Scott Urge EPA to Restore Critical Chesapeake Bay Protections Gutted by Trump
Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) and Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03) and John Sarbanes (MD-03) led a bicameral letter to Michael Regan, the Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and to Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon, the Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, urging them to rescind the harmful Navigable Waters Protection Rule implemented by the Trump Administration, and replace it with a rule that … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $2 Million to Support University of Maryland Medical System COVID-19 Response
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $2,185,056 in federal funding to reimburse the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) for costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.“During the worst public health crisis that our country has faced in a century, health care professionals at UMMS stepped up to meet the moment we … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Strongly Applaud House Action to Replace Capitol Statue of Dred Scott Decision’s Author with Tribute to Trailblazing Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) released the following statement upon House passage of legislation to replace in the U.S. Capitol the bust of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney with one of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.“We strongly applaud the House of Representatives’ passage of legislation to replace the statue in the U.S. Capitol of former Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, author of the despicable Dred Scott decision, … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Strongly Applaud House Action to Replace Capitol Statue of Dred Scott Decision’s Author with Tribute to Trailblazing Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) released the following statement upon House passage of legislation to replace in the U.S. Capitol the bust of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney with one of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. “We strongly applaud the House of Representatives’ passage of legislation to replace the statue in the U.S. Capitol of former Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, author of the despicable Dred Scott decision, … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
President Signs Van Hollen, Brown Legislation to Strike Down Trump-era “Rent-A-Bank” Rule
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) applauded President Biden’s signing of their resolution into law to repeal the Trump Administration’s so-called True Lender Rule through the use of the Congressional Review Act. This regulation, finalized in the last months of the prior Administration, allows predatory lenders to skirt state laws meant to curb interest rates … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Van Hollen Now Accepting Service Academy Applications for Class of 2026
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) announced that his office is now accepting applications from students across Maryland for nominations to the Uniformed Service Academies in the Class of 2026.All applications and supporting materials must be received electronically by 5:00 p.m. on September 30, 2021. More information, including the online application, can be found here.“Attending one of our nation’s renowned service academies is an excellent opportunity for young Marylanders. I hope that … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $8 Million to Strengthen COVID-19 Health Literacy and Language Services
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $7,939,842 in COVID-19 relief funding to expand access to community-based health services in Baltimore City and Frederick County. “This new round of federal COVID-19 funding will help improve the dissemination of public health information in minority communities,” the lawmakers said. “We will continue working to secure … Continue Reading
June 29, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer, Brown Announce Nearly $4 Million for Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department’s Office of Minority Health
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) and Congressman Anthony Brown (MD-04) joined in applauding the announcement of $3,999,807 in funding for the Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department’s Office of Minority Health. This new federal funding will provide essential resources and tools to the department to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services … Continue Reading
June 28, 2021
Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $98 Million In American Rescue Plan Funding for Airports Across the State
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Anthony G. Brown, and Reps. Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-MD) announced $98,263,281 in federal funding through the American Rescue Plan for Maryland airports, supporting tens of thousands of local jobs.“As our country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must continue to invest in our airport infrastructure to better manage the expected influx of … Continue Reading
June 28, 2021
Prince George’s County Delegation Members Announce More Than $5 Million for Electric Buses
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer, and Anthony Brown (all D-Md.) announced $5,150,000 in federal funding to purchase electric buses and charging stations, replacing existing diesel buses, in Prince George's County.“Communities of color are more susceptible to environmental injustices and the harmful effects of climate change, such as poor air quality. That is why this new round of federal funding to purchase electric buses is not only a … Continue Reading
June 25, 2021
Van Hollen, Murphy Call on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to Address Medical Debt, Increase Transparency as Americans Face Steep Bills in the Wake of COVID-19
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, called on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to address medical debt as Americans face steep bills, especially as a result of COVID-19. In a letter to Acting Director Dave Uejio, the Senators specifically request that CFPB take several actions … Continue Reading
June 25, 2021
Van Hollen, Toomey Urge Pres. Biden to Hold CCP Accountable for Apple Daily Shutdown
In the wake of the forced closure of Apple Daily, the last pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) are urging President Biden to hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable by using the Hong Kong Autonomy Act to identify and sanction individuals and entities responsible.In a letter to President Biden, the Senators wrote: “The newspaper Apple Daily has long been a voice in support of democracy and individual freedom in Hong … Continue Reading
June 24, 2021
Van Hollen, Murphy, Moran, Colleagues Urge Blinken to Help Americans Living Abroad Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and a group of bipartisan Senators sent a letter on Thursday to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on him to support COVID-19 vaccination efforts for the nine million Americans living abroad.The senators urged the Administration to donate supplemental doses to U.S. embassies and consulates in coordination with the Department of Defense, prioritizing the vaccination of Americans living in countries … Continue Reading
June 24, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Praise Biden Administration Commitments to Combat Gun Crime and Enhance Public Safety
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) released the following statement Thrusday:“We welcome the release of the President Biden’s comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to gun violence and ensure public safety. There is no single cause of gun violence that has plagued our city, making such an aggressive, all-of-government response the most promising approach. We are encouraged that Mayor Brandon Scott participated in yesterday’s event with President Joe Biden … Continue Reading
