Press Releases
Van Hollen Statement on Terrorist Attacks in Kabul
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the terrorist attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan: "My thoughts are with the loved ones of the U.S. service members killed today in Kabul as they sacrificed their own lives to save others - as well as with the families of the innocent Afghan civilians who lost their lives. The U.S. cannot and will not be silent in the face of these attacks - we must bring to justice the terrorists who committed these heinous … Continue Reading
August 26, 2021
Prince George’s County Congressional Delegation Announce Nearly $3 Million in Funding for Prince George’s County Community Health Workers
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.-05) and Anthony Brown (D-Md.-04) announced $2,999,862 to the Prince George's County Health Department to increase resources and services for Community Health Workers (CHWs) to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and combat health care inequities. "Community Health Workers provide indispensable services to Prince George's County residents. That's why we fought to include funding in the … Continue Reading
August 26, 2021
Senator Van Hollen Joins Colleagues in Urging HHS Secretary to Distribute Remaining COVID-19 Relief for Health Care Providers
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) who led 41 of their bipartisan colleagues in urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to distribute the funds remaining in the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) and other health care relief programs. Over the course of the pandemic, Congress has appropriated $178 billion for the PRF as well as an additional $8.5 billion for rural providers, … Continue Reading
August 25, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on UMBC President Hrabowski’s Announced Retirement
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding University of Maryland Baltimore County President Freeman Hrabowski's decision to retire in 2022. "For almost three decades, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski has made UMBC a national model of excellence. During his time there, he has built a University that has inspired countless students to achieve their dreams and created an atmosphere that has allowed them to not only succeed but to thrive. His work at UMBC has … Continue Reading
August 25, 2021
Van Hollen, Markey, Meng Highlight More Than $5.1 Billion in Requests for Emergency Connectivity Funds for Schools and Libraries
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06) released the following statement today after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the initial demand numbers from the first round of applications for the Emergency Connectivity Fund, a program the lawmakers fought to pass in the American Rescue Plan. This fund provides $7.17 billion to allow elementary and secondary schools and libraries - including tribal schools … Continue Reading
August 25, 2021
Van Hollen, Bipartisan Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Issue Crucial Rohingya Genocide Determination
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is leading a bipartisan group of 19 senators, in urging the Biden administration to issue a Rohingya genocide determination. The senators' letter marks the fourth anniversary of the genocidal persecution of the Rohingya people, and follows the February 2021 military coup that returned the same army responsible for the genocide to a greater … Continue Reading
August 20, 2021
Van Hollen Applauds New Slate of Ambassadors
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding President Biden's newly announced ambassadors: "The United States must put our best diplomatic teams on the field as we work to strengthen relationships with our allies and close partners and meet the challenges posed by our adversaries. The ambassadorial nominations made by the President today meet this test. I know that today's announced nominees are wholly prepared to serve in these crucial roles and … Continue Reading
August 17, 2021
Van Hollen, Senate Colleagues Send Bipartisan Letter Urging Biden Admin to Protect Afghan Women Leaders in Wake of Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) along with 43 Senate colleagues, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), in urging the Biden administration to take swift, robust action to protect and support Afghan women leaders facing unparalleled danger following the … Continue Reading
August 16, 2021
Van Hollen, Green New Deal Co-Sponsors: Republican Bad-Faith Amendment Meant to Politicize Climate Action Right When We Need it Most
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) - Senate co-sponsors of the Green New Deal -- released the following statement today after Senate Republicans introduced a straw-man amendment to the $3.5 trillion budget resolution … Continue Reading
August 11, 2021
Maryland Delegation Announces $93 Million to Fight Climate Change As Landmark Report Warns of Devastating Global Impacts
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 $93,289,392 in federal funding from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to strengthen Maryland's ability to prevent and respond to climate change related natural disasters. "Climate change is here," the lawmakers said. "As we see an uptick in extreme weather-related emergencies, such as … Continue Reading
August 11, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on Senate Passage of the Build Back Better Budget Resolution
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement regarding the Senate passage of the Build Back Better Budget resolution. Senator Van Hollen is a cosponsor of the resolution.“Right now, too many Americans are struggling to make ends meet - parents are juggling the costs of child care, millions of college graduates are drowning in student debt, seniors are weighed down by medical and prescription drug payments, and our workers and … Continue Reading
August 10, 2021
Van Hollen, Senate Colleagues Honor the Service of World War II Ritchie Boys
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) lauded unanimous passage by the Senate Monday evening of their resolution (S. Res. 349) that honors the contributions and service of the Ritchie Boys during World War II. A U.S. Army unit named for Camp Ritchie in Maryland where they trained, Ritchie Boys included individuals of many faiths who were both American- and foreign-born, originating in as many as … Continue Reading
August 10, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on Senate Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement regarding the Senate Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill:“To grow our economy and create jobs, we’ve got to fix our crumbling roads and bridges, invest in transit systems across the country, modernize our infrastructure to meet the challenges of the 21st century, and tackle climate change. This bipartisan bill is a serious down payment on those priorities - with the resources our state and our nation need to not … Continue Reading
August 09, 2021
Van Hollen Urges Senate Leadership to Immediately Replenish Funds to Support Maryland Restaurants
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent a letter to Senate leadership, urging action to revitalize the Restaurant Revitalization Fund in order to support local restaurants still struggling due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Senator is a cosponsor of Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021, legislation to provide the RRF with an additional $60 billion in funding to meet the outstanding demand for the program. In his letter, the Senate urges leadership to immediately … Continue Reading
August 09, 2021
Van Hollen, Senate Budget Democrats Release Framework to Invest in American Workers, Families
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, joined his Democratic Committee colleagues in releasing the Build Back Better Budget to invest in American workers and families: “Today, I was proud to join my Senate Budget colleagues in releasing our plan to dramatically expand job opportunities for every American, cut the costs of everything from prescription drugs to child care, expand services covered by Medicare, extend the new monthly tax cuts for … Continue Reading
August 06, 2021
Van Hollen, Markey, Levin, Bowman Introduce Legislation to Remediate Toxic Substances in Schools
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), alongside Representatives Andy Levin (Mich.-09) and Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.-16), in introducing legislation to remove toxic substances from school buildings across the country. Toxic substances are particularly prevalent in high-poverty schools, and include lead, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), among other contaminants. The Get Toxic Substances Out of Schools … Continue Reading
August 06, 2021
Van Hollen, Trone, Cardin Announce $150,000 for Water System Improvements in Allegany County
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, and U.S. Representative David Trone (all D-MD) announced $150,000 in federal funding for improvements to a water distribution system that supplies nearly 100 homes in Allegany County. The funding came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants program. Currently, the line of pipes that connects the county water district to its water supplier in Frostburg suffers from severe leaks and … Continue Reading
August 06, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Brown, Raskin Applaud $5 Million To Launch FTA’s First-Ever Transit Workforce Center
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Anthony G. Brown and Jamie Raskin (all MD) released the following statement applauding the recently announced $5 million to establish and run the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) first Transit Workforce Center in Silver Spring, Maryland: “Our frontline transit workers have done an extraordinary job throughout this pandemic keeping our country moving and connecting our communities. The $5 million grant to establish and run … Continue Reading
August 05, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $29.5 Million in Emergency Funding to Support Maryland’s 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 more than $29 million in emergency federal funding to reimburse MedStar Health and Montgomery County Emergency Management for costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Maryland’s hospitals, health providers, first responders, and medical professionals have put … Continue Reading
August 04, 2021
Van Hollen Announces Nearly $700 Million in Funding for Maryland Projects, Passed out of Key Senate Committee
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the Committee's passage of three funding bills including major wins for Maryland and nearly $700 Million in funding for projects within the state. The Senator worked in his role on the Committee and alongside members of the Maryland delegation to secure these federal funds for important projects across our state that will boost our economy, improve the health of our environment, and invest … Continue Reading
