Press Releases
Maryland Delegation Members Continue to Press State Leaders for Far Greater Transparency, Expediency in Unemployment Insurance Processing
Members of the Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, during a conference call yesterday again urged Maryland Secretary of Labor Tiffany Robinson to redouble the agency’s efforts to improve the expediency with which Marylanders’ claims for Unemployment Insurance (UI) are processed. Following up on their … Continue Reading
October 07, 2020
Van Hollen, Lankford Make Bipartisan Push for Answers on Turkey’s Reported Use of the S-400 Anti-Aircraft System to Detect F-16s
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) sent a letter to United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pressing for details on Turkey’s reported use of the Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft system. Turkey’s use of the S-400 could undermine U.S. national security, allowing Russia a backdoor to spy on NATO allies. In their letter, the Senators once again urge Secretary Pompeo to sanction Turkey for the initial purchase of the S-400, as required under the … Continue Reading
October 06, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $345,000 in Federal Funding to Improve Transit in Underserved Communities
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 today announced $346,500 in federal funding to upgrade transportation services and increase transit access in rural and low-income communities across Maryland. “Robust, reliable, and affordable public transit lifts up communities and increases economic opportunity. This new federal funding will help ensure Marylanders … Continue Reading
October 06, 2020
Baltimore Delegation Announces More Than $8.3 Million for Johns Hopkins University Research on COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) today announced $8,310,893 in federal funding for Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to research COVID-19 health disparities among underserved populations and minority communities.“COVID-19 has exposed longstanding inequities in our health care system, making Black, Latino and Indigenous communities in Maryland and around the nation more likely to face higher rates of … Continue Reading
October 05, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce Legislation to Make Southern Maryland a New National Heritage Area
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (all D-Md.) today announced legislation to designate Southern Maryland as a National Heritage Area (NHA) to further commemorate, conserve and promote important natural, scenic, historic, cultural and recreational resources in St. Mary’s, Calvert, Charles and Prince George’s counties. National Heritage Areas are partnerships among the National Park Service, states and local communities in which the Park Service … Continue Reading
October 05, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Applaud More Than $7.8 Million for Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery Expansion
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representative Steny Hoyer (all D-Md.) applauded the recent award of $7,865,950 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). This grant will fund the construction of 1,302 in-ground cremation sites, 450 columbarium niches, creation and maintenance of buildings, road improvements, landscaping, and supporting … Continue Reading
October 05, 2020
Van Hollen, Cortez Masto, Brown Send Letter to Administration for Failure to Provide Restitution to Veteran Victims of Deceptive Marketing Practices
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), along with 13 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Kathleen Kraninger regarding the Bureau’s recent public enforcement actions against mortgage originators offering Veterans Administration (VA)-guaranteed loans. Between July 2020 and September 2020, the CFPB announced consent orders against eight different mortgage lenders for … Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $2.6 Million for Disaster and Hazard Mitigation
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, David Trone (all Md.) today announced $2,612,302 in federal funding for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to invest in flood prevention and hazard mitigation efforts along the Eastern Shore. “Flooding and other natural disasters have a long-lasting impact on Marylanders, their homes and their businesses. These new … Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Van Hollen, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Develop Vaccine Strategy That Addresses Coronavirus’ Disproportionate Impacts on Communities of Color
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and 19 of their Senate colleagues in demanding that the Trump Administration develop a national vaccine distribution strategy that both recognizes and addresses the alarming racial disparities in rates of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. In May, Senator Van Hollen, along with several other members of the Maryland congressional delegation, urged Maryland Governor Hogan to use race and ethnicity data to … Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Van Hollen Doubles Down on Call for Trump Administration to Make Payroll Tax Deferral Optional for Military and Federal Employees
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought urging them once again to make the payroll tax deferral outlined by President Trump optional for federal employees and service members. The letter follows the Senator’s exchange with Secretary Mnuchin during a recent Banking Committee hearing, in which Mnuchin stated that it would be “reasonable” to allow federal employees and members of … Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Van Hollen, Senate Dems Urge Pompeo to Deescalate Violence in the South Caucasus and Broker Negotiations
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and 10 Senate colleagues, in raising serious concerns over escalating violence in the south Caucasus between Azerbaijan - backed by Turkey - and Armenia. In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Senators called for the immediate suspension of U.S. security assistance to Azerbaijan and urged Pompeo to directly engage with leaders in Azerbaijan, … Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Van Hollen, Udall, Dingell Introduce Care Corps Demonstration Act
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) reintroduced the Care Corps Demonstration Act to build and strengthen America’s caregiving workforce and help meet the growing demand for caregivers working with seniors and people living with disabilities. The nation’s 65-and-older population is expected to almost double in size, from 49 million to 95 million Americans by 2060. By 2030, older Americans are expected to make up … Continue Reading
October 01, 2020
Van Hollen, Bass Introduce New Community-Based Crisis Response Legislation
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Karen Bass (D-Calif.) were joined by local and national justice advocates to announce new legislation to improve our emergency response capabilities by creating systemic alternatives to police involvement, especially where it could lead to unnecessary escalation. Their new legislation, the Community-Based Response Act, creates a new Community-Based Emergency and Non-Emergency Response Grant Program through the Department of … Continue Reading
October 01, 2020
Van Hollen, Capito Legislation Creating New Grant Program for Bay Restoration Heads to President’s Desk for Signature
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act, a bipartisan package that includes the Chesapeake WILD Act, legislation introduced by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) to boost Chesapeake Bay conservation efforts by creating a new grant program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support habitat restoration in the Bay region. This program is authorized at $15 million. The ACE Act also increases the EPA … Continue Reading
September 30, 2020
Van Hollen Statement on Senate Passage of Continuing Resolution to Fund Government through December 11th
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the Senate passage of a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 11th: “Despite the President’s previous efforts to instigate shameful shutdowns, I’m glad that the Congress has come together on a bipartisan basis to ensure continued government funding through December 11th. This bill - while just a temporary measure - will ensure federal funds continue to flow to where they’re needed … Continue Reading
September 30, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin Blast Trump Administration for Failing to Protect Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) joined their colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia urging him to follow his mission to assure worker safety and health and take immediate, strong action to protect workers from COVID-19 exposure, illness, and death on the job. The Senators urged Secretary Scalia to instruct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring … Continue Reading
September 30, 2020
Van Hollen, Warner Introduce Bill to Promote Federal Worker Safety and Increase Transparency Around Agency Reopening Plans
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) introduced the Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act, legislation requiring federal agencies to establish and publish COVID-19 workplace protections. The bill, named after a Virginia federal worker who passed away from COVID-19 complications, would compel each federal agency to create and post concrete reopening plans online, at least 30 days prior to the return of federal employees. This legislation, which passed through the … Continue Reading
September 30, 2020
Bay Senators Applaud USDA Decision to Support Local Oyster, Clam Businesses Facing Economic Hardship Due to COVID-19
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) and Tim Kaine and Mark Warner (both D-Va.) applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to allow oyster and clam businesses to access funds included within the CARES Act Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The Senators penned a letter in July urging USDA to include these businesses - many of which are small and family owned - given the economic hardship they’re facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Maryland’s small … Continue Reading
September 29, 2020
Senator Van Hollen, NASA Administrator Bridenstine, Maryland Space Leaders Discuss Maryland’s Vital Role in NASA
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), joined by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and a number of leaders in Maryland’s space initiatives, hosted a virtual event to discuss Maryland’s vital role in NASA’s mission. During the event, the Senator and Administrator highlighted Maryland’s many contributions to NASA’s efforts, including the crucial work being done at NASA Goddard, the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative, the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, the Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics … Continue Reading
September 29, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce Resolution Recognizing Contributions of Federal Workers and the National Federation of Federal Employees
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, who represent the State of Maryland where over 128,000 federal employees work, introduced a Senate resolution celebrating federal workers and the accomplishments of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE). The 51st NFFE Convention, taking place on October 5, 2020, recognizes 103 years of NFFE members’ vital contributions to the United States through careers in public service. “Federal employees work day in and day out to provide … Continue Reading
