Press Releases
Van Hollen, Cardin Seek Protection for the Right to Organize and Make our Economy Work for Everyone
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, in introducing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, comprehensive labor legislation to protect workers’ right to stand together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces.“The right to organize and collectively bargain is fundamentally entrenched in our democratic principles,” said Senator … Continue Reading
February 05, 2021
Van Hollen, Menendez, Peters, Push for DHS to Enforce ‘Lautenberg Amendment’ to Keep Firearms Out of Hands of Domestic Abusers
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and several colleagues in urging the Department of Homeland Security to establish a zero-tolerance stance for domestic violence and take immediate steps to enforce a federal law that keeps firearms out of the hands of those convicted of domestic violence or subject to a restraining law—including those who … Continue Reading
February 05, 2021
Van Hollen, Brown, Booker, Colleagues Urge Amazon to Recognize Workers Seeking Union Representation Ahead of Key NLRB Vote
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and a group of their colleagues in urging Amazon to do right by its workers and support their efforts to freely exercise their right to organize a union. In a letter sent to current Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and his successor, Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy, the senators expressed support for Amazon workers seeking to organize a union with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union … Continue Reading
February 05, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Urges Local U.S. Postal Service Leaders to Fix Delivery Problems
The full Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone, today continued to urge U.S. Postal Service leadership at all levels to resolve persistent and widespread delivery delays. In new correspondence to the district managers of the Capital and Baltimore districts, the federal delegation cites numerous reports … Continue Reading
February 05, 2021
Van Hollen, Coons, Brown, Tillis, Cardin Announce Growing Momentum for Legislation Awarding Congressional Gold Medal to USCP Officer Eugene Goodman
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) announced that their legislation to award Officer Eugene Goodman the Congressional Gold Medal has now garnered 67 cosponsors, meeting a key benchmark in Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee rules that is necessary for consideration on the Senate floor. Given the wide bipartisan support for the bill, the Senators hope to move quickly to final … Continue Reading
February 05, 2021
Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces $4 million for Mental Health Clinics in Baltimore City and Timonium
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume (all D-MD) - today announced $4 million in federal funding for Mosaic Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in Baltimore City and Timonium. The funding will help the Sheppard Pratt-operated clinics expand access to lifesaving mental health services and substance abuse treatment. “Far too many Americans are experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges, … Continue Reading
February 05, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on the Senate Budget Resolution Passage
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding his vote in support of the Senate budget resolution:“More than 450,000 of our fellow Americans have died of COVID-19. This is an unacceptable toll of suffering. And while we grapple with the human costs of this pandemic, many are facing the economic fallout as well. Main Street is struggling - we’ve seen thousands of small businesses shutter. And across our nation disparities are growing - our students are … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Maryland Congressional Delegation Applauds Biden Approval of Maryland Disaster Funding for Tropical Storm Isaias
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 President Joe Biden for granting their request to release federal funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Marylanders recover from Tropical Storm Isaias. This declaration has unlocked funding through both the Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs. … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on Biden Action to Delay and Review Trump Migratory Bird Rule
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement in support of the Biden Administration’s decision to delay and further review the Trump Administration’s Department of Interior (DOI) rule weakening the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The rule would undermine a longstanding interpretation of the MBTA that holds companies responsible for oil spills that kill migratory birds.“The Trump Administration was hell-bent on gutting the historic protections of the Migratory … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Van Hollen, Markey, Cantwell, Bennet, Hassan, and Schatz Lead Colleagues in Urging New FCC to Use its Emergency Authority to Connect Students to Online Learning
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) led 31 of their colleagues in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), urging the agency’s new leadership to take long overdue action and utilize the E-Rate Program to help close the “homework gap” during the coronavirus pandemic.As the United States approaches the … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Senators Van Hollen, Markey and Rep. Dingell Re-Introduce Legislation to Create a Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) today re-introduced legislation that would create a national climate bank or “Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator,” which would leverage public and private funds to invest in clean energy technologies and infrastructure. This legislation would provide financing to eligible regional, state and local green banks, make investments directly into projects that reduce carbon emissions, … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Van Hollen, Smith, Colleagues Push to Ensure Stimulus Payments Reach Americans Experiencing Homelessness
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and 27 Senate Democratic colleagues in calling on the Department of the Treasury to ensure Americans receive the relief they are entitled to, including those who are experiencing homelessness.The bipartisan COVID-19 relief package enacted into law on December 27 of last year provided a round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult, and efforts are currently underway to provide additional direct payments in future … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Van Hollen Leads Maryland Delegation Members in Pressing DeJoy on USPS Delays
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen led members of the Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer, C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) in writing to United States Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy about the severe mail delivery delays Marylanders are experiencing. The members refer to specific examples from correspondence they’ve received from … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Van Hollen, Senators Condemn Malign Actions of the Putin Regime, Call for Release of Alexei Navalny
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced the bipartisan Holding Russia Accountable for Malign Activities Act of 2021, a targeted bill that would impose sanctions on Russian officials complicit in brazen violations of international law including the poisoning and imprisonment of opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny. The bill directs the … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Praise Robert Hur’s Service as U.S. Attorney for District of Maryland
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today released the following statement on the announcement by Robert K. Hur, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, that he would leave his position later this month.“We thank U.S. Attorney Robert Hur for his excellent service as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. Rob upheld the finest traditions of the office and the U.S. Department of Justice, and faithfully followed the facts and the law. In particular, we … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Introduce Bicameral TRUE EQUITY Act to Strengthen Federal-State-Local Educational Partnerships
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen David Trone, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown and Jamie Raskin (all D-Md.) announced new legislation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that would provide an additional $1.4 billion in federal grant funding for states and local communities that commit to transformative policy changes and allocate significant additional resources to address education inequities. Purposefully aligning with … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Van Hollen, Murray, Senate Democrats Call for Continued Support of NASA Lander Program
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Patty Murray (D-WA), along with a number of their Senate Democratic colleagues, wrote to the White House in support of continued funding for NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS) program, which is critical to the Artemis Program of returning astronauts to the moon for the first time in half a century, and landing a woman on the moon for the first time in history. In April of last year, NASA selected three U.S. companies, Blue Origin, Space X, and … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Van Hollen, Brown Lead Maryland Delegation Calling for a Course Correction to Maryland’s Vaccine Distribution Approach
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Congressman Anthony G. Brown led Maryland delegation members Senator Ben Cardin and Reps. Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-MD) in a letter to Governor Larry Hogan calling for his Administration to reform and improve vaccine distribution by adopting best practices from other states around the country. Maryland has consistently ranked in the bottom tier of states for vaccine distributions due … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Van Hollen Announces New Assignment to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Today, U.S. Senator Van Hollen released the following statement regarding his Committee Assignments for the 117th Congress:“The COVID-19 pandemic — like climate change — has clearly shown that our nation is not an island. What happens in other parts of the world has a direct impact on our well-being here at home. Following four years of isolation and division, now more than ever, we must work to strengthen our democracy at home and rebuild our alliances abroad. I’m proud to join the Senate … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Van Hollen Statement in Support of Alejandro Mayorkas to Serve as Secretary of Homeland Security
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding his vote to confirm Alejandro Mayorkas to serve as the Secretary of Homeland Security:“Alejandro Mayorkas is the person we need to rebuild and restore the Department of Homeland Security. Not only is he regarded as one of the most knowledgeable homeland security experts in our nation, but he also has deep understanding of our nation’s immigration system. In fact, he’s known as the architect of the Deferred … Continue Reading
