Press Releases
Van Hollen, Markey, Colleagues Urge TPS Extension and Redesignation for Haiti as Gang Violence, Civil Unrest Force Thousands to Leave
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) in urging the Biden administration to immediately extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which would authorize Haitian nationals in the United States to remain in the country until conditions improve in Haiti. The island nation continues to face compounding crises - escalating gang violence, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reports of cholera deaths for the first time in three … Continue Reading
October 26, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Welcome Johns Hopkins-CareFirst Contract Resolution
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) welcomed the contract agreement between Johns Hopkins Medicine and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. The deal comes after the lawmakers sent a letter to the two parties last week calling on them to come to an agreement before the upcoming health insurance enrollment deadline, and it ensures Johns … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
Van Hollen, Risch, Colleagues on Sham Conviction of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) in the following statement on the sham trial and conviction of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong: "Jimmy … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $3 Million for Rural Health Care Facilities
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $3,079,600 in U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development funding for six Maryland health and wellness-based facilities to improve and modernize their services. "The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on Maryland families in every corner of our state, exacerbating challenges that have … Continue Reading
October 24, 2022
Baltimore Delegation Members Announce $900,000 for Black Women’s Workforce Reentry and Development in Baltimore
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $900,000 for PIVOT, a workforce reentry and development nonprofit in Baltimore that connects formerly incarcerated Black women with critical resources as they prepare to return to their communities. This project will work in partnership with PREPARE, a parole preparation nonprofit that provides pre-release services and reentry planning as part of the … Continue Reading
October 24, 2022
Van Hollen, Merkley, Menendez, Risch, Colleagues Urge Cessation of Hostilities in Ethiopia Ahead of Peace Talks in South Africa
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), and Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho), along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah), in sending a letter to Ethiopia's Prime Minister ahead of planned peace talks led by the African Union set to begin tomorrow. In their bipartisan letter, the Senators welcome … Continue Reading
October 24, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce NASA Proposal to Continue University of Maryland-led GEDI Mission for Climate Change Research
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (all D-Md.) announced that, following their efforts, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) has put forth a proposal for the continuation of the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) mission on the International Space Station (ISS). The continuation of the mission will ensure it can finish collecting critical data on the role of the world's forests in our fight against climate … Continue Reading
October 21, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Urge Administration to Fund Baltimore City Efforts Towards Reconnecting Communities Divided by Highway to Nowhere
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Kweisi Mfume, Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in support of Baltimore City's Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) program grant application to fund the planning of the redevelopment of the Highway to Nowhere in West Baltimore, a highway project that displaced hundreds of residents … Continue Reading
October 21, 2022
Relaying Constituent Concerns, Maryland’s Full Congressional Delegation Asks for an End to Troubling Issues with Routine Immigration Services in Baltimore
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone Thursday wrote to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Baltimore District Director Greg Collett urging him to address concerning trends in the delivery of routine services at the USCIS Baltimore Field Office. The lack of responsiveness from the USCIS Baltimore Field Office "frustrates our constituents and … Continue Reading
October 20, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Urge Hopkins, CareFirst to Reach Contract Agreement to Protect Marylanders’ Health Care Access
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) sent a letter to Johns Hopkins Medicine CEO Ted DeWeese and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield President & CEO Brian Pieninck urging the two parties to reach a contract resolution before the upcoming health insurance enrollment deadline to ensure hundreds of thousands of Marylanders do not risk … Continue Reading
October 20, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $575,000 for Chesapeake Bay Wildlife Habitat Restoration
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced $575,000 in federal funding through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for two wildlife habitat restoration projects along the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. These are among the first grants to be awarded from the Chesapeake WILD Program, which was created by bipartisan legislation authored by Senator Van Hollen as well as Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and co-sponsored by Senator Cardin and … Continue Reading
October 20, 2022
Van Hollen, Jacobs Urge HASC and SASC Leadership to Include Amendment Closing Leahy Law Loophole in Final NDAA
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (Calif.-53), along with 13 of their colleagues, urged the leadership of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to include their amendment requiring human rights vetting of security cooperation programs in the final FY 2023 NDAA conference agreement. In a letter to Chairman Reed, Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Inhofe, and Ranking Member Rogers, the Members advocated for the House-passed provisions of their Upholding Human … Continue Reading
October 19, 2022
Van Hollen, Toomey Release Readout on Call with Ukrainian Ambassador on U.S. Support, Secondary Sanctions Proposal
This week, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) spoke with Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova about the critical importance of continued U.S. support of Ukraine in the face of Vladimir Putin's aggression. During their call, the Senators discussed ways to maximize the effectiveness of the upcoming G7 price cap on Russian oil, including through their proposal to backstop the Administration's efforts through secondary sanctions on entities that violate the cap. Following … Continue Reading
October 19, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Urge WMATA and the Metrorail Safety Commission to Work Together
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) released the following statement in response to delays in reintroducing more 7000-series rail cars into regular service. "We all would like to see the 7000-series back in service throughout the Metrorail system. It is long overdue. However, the difficult situation WMATA is in today is not simply the result of technical issues with the 7000-series rail cars; it also is the result of WMATA's inadequate prioritization of safety over many … Continue Reading
October 19, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $1.2 Million to Improve Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dorchester County
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today announced $1,218,000 in federal funding for improvements to the Twin Cities Wastewater Treatment Plant serving the towns of Secretary and East New Market. This fiscal year 2022 appropriations funding is administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants Program. This funding will provide a state-of-the-art nutrient removal system, which will ensure sanitary sewer service … Continue Reading
October 19, 2022
Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Announce Over $700,000 in Federal Funding to Help Student-Parents Access Child Care
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, David Trone, and Jamie B. Raskin (all D-Md.) announced $706,819 in federal grants for four Maryland institutions of higher education to assist student-parents in meeting their child care needs. "When our students are set up for success, our entire community benefits. Too often, parents seeking to continue their education are held back by a lack of access to affordable child care," said the lawmakers. "We … Continue Reading
October 18, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Harris Joint Statement on USDA Grant to Minary's Dream Alliance's 'Feed the Elderly' Food Program
Today, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, and Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (R-Md.), Acting Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a $374,900 grant for Minary's Dream Alliance's 'Feed the Elderly' food distribution program, … Continue Reading
October 18, 2022
Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $67 Million For COVID-19 Testing Reimbursement
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $67,724,611 in U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding to reimburse the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for previous COVID-19 testing costs. Funding is authorized by Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act. The federal … Continue Reading
October 18, 2022
Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce $700,000 to Help Charles County Residents Recover from Substance Abuse
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (all D-Md.) announced $700,000 for Charles County to establish an Adult Drug Court. This federal funding through the U.S. Department of Justice's Adult Drug Court grant program will enable the County to create a coordinated, multi-system approach to help individuals with substance use disorders charged with nonviolent offenses stay out of prison while they rehabilitate. This funding is critical to creating an … Continue Reading
October 18, 2022
Van Hollen, Manchin, Bipartisan Senators Urge HHS to Make Home Energy Assistance Funds Available to States
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) along with a group of bipartisan Senators in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as quickly and at the highest level possible. LIHEAP is a critical program that helps low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes across West Virginia and America pay their energy bills while staying safe and warm during the winter … Continue Reading
