Press Releases
Van Hollen, Durbin, Leahy, Senate Democrats Urge Biden to Finally Close Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and 21 Senate Democratic Colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden expressing their support for finally closing the detention facility at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In their letter, the Senators wrote that as a symbol of lawlessness and human rights abuses, the detention … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Senators Van Hollen, Hassan and Wyden Push to Challenge Abusive Tax Deductions by Opioid Companies
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chairman of the Committee, and a group of colleagues in urging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to challenge any abusive tax deductions that opioid companies may take for settlements that they are paying out related to their role in fueling the opioid epidemic.The Senators’ letter follows recent reporting indicating that, after being sued by state or … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Van Hollen, Heinrich, Senate Democrats Call On Biden Administration To Undo Unlawful Changes To National Monuments
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, along with 17 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland urging her recommend that President Biden undo any unlawful attacks on the Antiquities Act. Since 1906, sixteen presidents from both parties have used the Antiquities Act to protect places across the nation. "From Chaco Canyon in New Mexico to Harriet … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Van Hollen and Colleagues Urge Biden to Approve Vaccine Patent Waiver to Boost Production and End Pandemic
Ahead of a May 5 meeting of the World Trade Organization’s General Council, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined 9 other senators Friday in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to publicly support a temporary patent waiver for Covid-19 vaccines that would allow countries to manufacture treatments locally, expediting the global vaccination effort, saving countless lives and crushing the pandemic.“Your Administration has the opportunity to reverse the damage done by the Trump … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Van Hollen joins Sanders, Omar, and Colleagues in Introducing the End Polluter Welfare Act
Ahead of today’s Senate Budget Committee hearing on “The Cost of Inaction on Climate Change,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in introducing the End Polluter Welfare Act to close tax loopholes and eliminate federal subsidies for the oil, gas, and coal industries. While the 20 largest fossil fuel companies account for more than a third of global greenhouse gas emissions in the modern era, all while raking in absurd profits, American … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Van Hollen, Warren, Casten, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill Requiring Public Companies to Disclose Climate-Related Risks
United States Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.) today in introducing the Climate Risk Disclosure Act of 2021 which would reduce the chances of environmental and financial catastrophe by requiring public companies to disclose more information about their exposure to climate-related risks. By increasing market transparency, this bill will empower investors to appropriately assess climate-related risks and accelerate … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Renew Push to Ban High-Capacity Gun Magazines
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today reintroduced the Keep Americans Safe Act, renewing a concerted effort to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. These high-capacity magazines are designed for shooting and killing en masse and have been the accessory of choice in some of the bloodiest mass shootings in America.The introduction of this bill comes days before the 14th … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Van Hollen, Menendez, Colleagues Introduce Comprehensive International Climate Change Legislation
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) were joined by eight of their Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing new international climate change legislation in support of President Biden’s ambitious climate action agenda. Entitled the United States Climate Leadership in International Mitigation, Adaptation, and Technology Enhancement Act of 2021 (U.S. CLIMATE Act), … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Van Hollen, Carper, Collins Reintroduce Bill to Secure Federal Firefighters’ Benefits for Diseases Contracted in Line of Duty
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), both co-chairs of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, in reintroducing legislation to help ensure federal firefighters receive the financial support they deserve for diseases contracted in the line of duty. The Federal Firefighter Fairness Act of 2021 classifies a range of firefighting-linked illnesses, like lung diseases and certain cancers, contracted by federal firefighters as … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Van Hollen Joins Merkley, Huffman to Get the Federal Government out of the Fossil Fuel Business
Maryland’s U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, Representative Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), and a group of 20 lawmakers in introducing the Keep It in the Ground Act—urgent legislation to stop new fossil fuel leases and put an end to nonproducing leases for extraction of coal, oil, gas, oil shale, and tar sands extraction on public lands and in public waters.The combustion of fossil fuels that have been extracted from America’s public lands and waters currently … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Senators Van Hollen, Markey, Rubio, and Warren Announce Reintroduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Counter Chinese Government Policy Coercively Preventing Americans from Leaving China
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today announced the reintroduction of legislation to enhance accountability for Chinese officials involved in coercively banning American citizens from leaving China. In recent years, Chinese officials have prevented U.S. citizens from leaving China in order to pressure relatives wanted by the Chinese government to submit themselves to Chinese authorities. This unfair “exit ban” … Continue Reading
April 13, 2021
Van Hollen, Hagerty, Fortenberry, Schiff Introduce Resolution Commemorating Jordan Centennial
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Representatives Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced a resolution commemorating the centennial of the founding of the Jordanian state.The resolution begins, “Whereas the late King Abdullah bin Al Hussein arrived in Amman on March 2, 1921, and began working to establish a political system based on the Arab demand for independence, … Continue Reading
April 12, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $182 Million to Help State Bring COVID-19 Pandemic Under Control, Strengthen Local Infectious Disease Response
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all Md.) today announced more than $182 million in federal funding to bolster Maryland’s COVID-19 pandemic response and expand the capacity of laboratories and local health departments to fight infectious diseases.“This significant infusion of federal funding will help strengthen Maryland’s pandemic … Continue Reading
April 12, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Virtually Meet with Federal Employee Unions and Employee Groups
This afternoon, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin joined Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (All D-Md.) to host a virtual discussion with Members of the National Capital Region and representatives from National Treasury Employees Union, American Federation of Government Employees, National Federation of Federal Employees, National Active and Retired Federal Employees, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, National Association of Air … Continue Reading
April 09, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on Biden Budget Outline
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding President Biden’s initial budget outline:“As our state and nation begin to recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s time to invest boldly in our workforce, our economy, and our future. President Biden’s budget outline does just that - jump-starting our efforts to build back better with the necessary funding to tackle the most critical, fundamental challenges our country faces. “This proposal … Continue Reading
April 09, 2021
Van Hollen, Ruppersberger Highlight New Funding for Maryland Child Care Centers, Head Start Programs
Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (both D-Md.) today highlighted more than $515 million to help Maryland child care providers keep their doors open and reduce costs for struggling families amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The funding was provided by the recently-passed American Rescue Plan and included more than $11 million for Maryland’s Head Start early childhood development centers.Maryland child care centers have been on the frontlines of the pandemic, … Continue Reading
April 08, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $68 Million from American Rescue Plan to Help Marylanders Access Safe and Affordable Housing Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all Md.) today announced more than $68 million in American Rescue Plan funding to help families keep roofs over their heads and to prevent homelessness throughout Maryland amid the COVID-19 pandemic.“The severe economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency have increased homelessness and … Continue Reading
April 08, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on Biden Measures to Address Gun Violence
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding President Biden’s newly-announced measures to address gun violence, including his nomination of David Chipman to serve as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). Senator Van Hollen recently led a letter with over 10 of his colleagues urging the Biden Administration to quickly fill this position and take other steps to address gun violence, including action to crack down on ghost guns … Continue Reading
April 08, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Harris Announce $1 Million Grant to Salisbury Airport
Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (all Maryland) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a sizable $1,023,818 federal grant to the Salisbury - Ocean City - Wicomico Regional Airport. Funding for this grant came from the Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, which passed in December of 2020. According to DOT, these dollars will be used for economic relief for costs related to operations, … Continue Reading
April 07, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Secures More Than $54.6 Million to Expand Equitable Distribution of the COVID-19 Vaccine and Boost Public Health Infrastructure
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.) today applauded the award of more than $54.6 million in federal funding, from the American Rescue Plan, to bolster public health infrastructure and expand vaccination efforts, particularly COVID-19 vaccines, for underserved and hard to reach communities across the state.“The health and safety of Marylanders … Continue Reading
