Press Releases
Van Hollen, Cardin Press Hogan on Census Concerns
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) sent a letter to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to press for an update on the status of Maryland's census preparations. The letter underlines a number of concerns the Senators have regarding Maryland's preparedness to ensure that all residents are counted. The Senators begin, "We are writing to request an update on the status of Maryland's plans to achieve a complete count in the 2020 census. As you know, the census is a … Continue Reading
October 03, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce Nearly $1 Million for Garrett County First Responders
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $996,348 in federal funding for Garrett County and the Bittinger Volunteer Fire Department to purchase new equipment. The funding, awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, includes: $89,286 for the Bittinger Volunteer Fire Department to purchase 15 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units and 15 spare air cylinders. … Continue Reading
October 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Hail $150,000 Federal Grant for Forest Industry to Support Economic Development Across Maryland
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative David Trone (all D-Md.) hailed the announcement of a $150,000 federal grant from the Economic Development Administration to the Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council. The grant would support the development of the Forestry Economic Strategy, an action plan for countering the economic impact of mill closures across the state of Maryland including the closure of Verso's mill in Luke, Maryland earlier this … Continue Reading
October 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Hoyer, Brown Announce more than $1.1 Million for Prince George’s County Firefighters
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny Hoyer and Anthony G. Brown (all D-Md.) today announced more than $1.1 million in federal funds for Prince George's County firefighters through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. The West Lanham Hills Volunteer Fire Department will receive $625,450 and the Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue … Continue Reading
October 02, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce more than $8 Million for Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative Steny Hoyer (all D-Md.) applaud the recent award of more than $8 million in federal funding for a significant expansion of the Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA). These federal funds will support the construction of 6,000 pre-placed crypts, 500 standard burial plots, roads, irrigation, landscaping, and supporting infrastructure. "We owe a deep … Continue Reading
October 01, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $1.5 Million for National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in Emmitsburg
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $1.5 million in federal funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) in Emmitsburg through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fire Prevention & Safety Grants program. The NFFF will use this funding to support a study on firefighter safety. "Firefighters put their lives on the line every day, and they deserve not only our … Continue Reading
October 01, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Raskin Announce more than $270,000 for Firefighter Staffing in Westminster
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative Jaime Raskin (all D-Md.) today announced $273,670 in federal funds through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. 1 will use the funding to improve recruitment of new firefighters and retention of existing members. "The men and women of the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose … Continue Reading
September 30, 2019
Van Hollen, Democratic Senators Urge Greater Transparency in Tax Disclosures
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) led a letter signed by 12 of his colleagues to Russell Golden, Chair of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), urging the Board to require companies to publicly disclose their income, assets, number of employees, and taxes paid on a country-by-country basis. FASB's current proposal does not require companies to break down their foreign taxes on a country-by-country basis, providing insufficient insight into the company's foreign operations … Continue Reading
September 27, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Hail $945 Million in Funding from NIH to Tackle the National Opioid Crisis
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative David Trone (All D-Md.) hailed the announcement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to award $945 million to reverse the opioid crisis through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative. The funds include a $6,354,906 grant for Gaithersburg-based company Emergent BioSolutions to develop a long-acting injectable treatment of opioid use disorder. The HEAL Initiative provided funding … Continue Reading
September 27, 2019
Van Hollen, Capito Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Resources for Chesapeake Bay Conservation
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) introduced legislation to provide more resources to Chesapeake Bay conservation efforts. The Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Act will create a new grant program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support habitat restoration in the Bay region. It is modeled after the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act, which is funded at $5 million annually, and would provide … Continue Reading
September 27, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Nearly $600,000 for Conowingo Dam Plan Implementation through the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announce the award of more than $599,000 in competitive funding for grantees to carry out planning, financing strategy, and monitoring projects for Conowingo Dam reservoir through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP). These resources will help develop a roadmap to address the reservoir's reduced capacity, which has resulted in increased pollutants making their way through the Susquehanna and into … Continue Reading
September 27, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Oppose Cruel and Devastating Cuts to Refugee Admissions
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined a group of Senators in opposing the Trump Administration's reported plans to slash the U.S.'s refugee cap to admit only 18,000 refugees in Fiscal Year 2020-a cap which, if not reversed, would represent the lowest level of refugee admittances in American history. Denying admittance to refugees beyond this cap could put tens of thousands of lives at risk, lead to greater instability, and detract from U.S. global influence. Van Hollen was joined … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Van Hollen Secures Appropriations Measure Prohibiting US Visas for Foreign Officials of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt Responsible for Wrongful Detention of Americans
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee passed his amendment to deny U.S. visas to foreign officials from the governments of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt who are determined to be responsible for the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals abroad and locally employed staff at American diplomatic missions. The Senator's amendment comes in response to the continued wrongful detentions of Americans and locally employed staff in … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce Bill to Honor the Memory of Lt. Richard Collins by Setting a New Standard for ROTC Graduates Who Die Before their First Assignment
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (Both D-Md.) Thursday introduced new legislation to honor the sacrifices and commitment to service of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Graduates who die between commissioning and their first assignment. The Second Lieutenant Richard W. Collins III Memorial Act is dedicated to Richard Collins III, an ROTC student at Bowie State University who had been commissioned into the U.S. Army, but then stabbed to death days before he reported to his … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Van Hollen Secures Appropriations Language to Require Strict Conditions on Ex-Im Bank Financing of Nuclear Projects in Saudi Arabia
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he has secured language within legislation passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee to require strict conditions on Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank financing of any nuclear projects in Saudi Arabia. This language would ensure that any Saudi nuclear power projects are held to the nonproliferation "gold standard" for nuclear cooperation. The Ex-Im Bank has identified U.S. nuclear energy exports as a key and growing industry, and Saudi Arabia is … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Baltimore Delegation Announces $9.7 Million to Address Lead-Based Paint in Baltimore
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, along with Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger, and John Sarbanes announced $9.7 million in federal funding to address lead-based paint in Baltimore. The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will allow Baltimore to work to eliminate lead-based paint hazards in low-income private housing. "Families shouldn't have to worry about their children's exposure to lead - especially in their … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Call on Interior Secretary to Terminate Acting BLM Director’s Authority
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with several other Senate Democrats wrote a letter urging U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to terminate William Perry Pendley's authority as acting director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In the letter, thesenators outline their concerns with Pendley's advocacy for the widespread sale of public lands, his efforts to roll back key conservation laws, and his long-held disregard for the important role BLM plays … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Murphy, Schatz Secure Key Committee Support for Increase in Funds to Pay Senate Interns
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced that they have secured increased funds for Senate offices to pay their interns, within legislation passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Senators have championed this effort since 2017, leading to the passage of Congress’ first-ever dedicated funding to support paid internships. The increase in funds - up $1 million from FY 2019 to total $6 million - passed today in … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Brown, Capito Introduce Resolution to Designate Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week
Full-Service Community Schools that Provide Integrated Student Supports have been shown to Improve Student Outcomes This week, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced a resolution to designate the week of September 23 through September 27, 2019, as ``Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week''. "Community schools not only provide our children with a quality education but also include crucial wrap-around services to improve … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Sens. Van Hollen, Portman, Merkley and Reps. Davis, Schweikert Announce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Fix AOTC Inequity
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representatives Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) announced new bipartisan, bicameral legislation to address a systematic injustice within the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). The AOTC is the primary tax credit available to students seeking a higher education; however, students with a prior felony drug conviction are permanently ineligible from using the credit. This … Continue Reading
