Press Releases
Van Hollen, Bennet, Colleagues Call on FEMA to Mobilize Land Management Agencies to Support COVID-19 Emergency Response in Rural Communities
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), along with over 20 of their Senate colleagues, in calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to enable thousands of federal civil servants, who have experience with rapid emergency response, to assist rural communities that are increasingly overwhelmed by the challenge of responding to the … Continue Reading
March 17, 2020
Van Hollen, Brown, Colleagues Urge President to Use Existing DPA Authority to Address Shortages of Medical Equipment Needed To Treat and Prevent Spread of COVID-19
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), and 24 of their Senate colleagues in urging President Trump to use his existing authority to help address widespread shortages of medical equipment, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In a letter sent to President Trump, the senators pushed the president to invoke the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA), which authorizes the president to strengthen … Continue Reading
March 17, 2020
Van Hollen, Warren, Colleagues Demand Answers from Trump Administration on Shortage of COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Kits
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and 14 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and Assistant Secretary of Health Brett Giroir, coordinator for diagnostic testing efforts, requesting information on the Trump Administration's failure to ensure that diagnostic tests are available for the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “This failure has resulted in … Continue Reading
March 16, 2020
Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $10.2 Million in Federal Funding for Maryland Coronavirus Response
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone today announced $10.2 million in federal funding for Maryland’s response to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).“This funding represents our collective commitment to responding with strength and unity to … Continue Reading
March 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Democratic Senators Urge Trump to Immediately Maximize Telework for Federal Employees
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with 26 of his colleagues, sent a letter to President Trump urging him to immediately issue an executive order directing agencies to utilize telework capabilities to the maximum possible extent. While the Administration has issued guidance recommending agencies expand their telework capabilities, too many federal employees are still required to come to work in-person when they can do their job from home. As the Centers for Disease Control and … Continue Reading
March 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Casey, Colleagues Press Trump Administration on Needs of Children and Early Care Providers During Coronavirus Pandemic
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), along with a number of their colleagues, in sending a letter to the Trump Administration pressing the coronavirus task force on the steps it is taking to protect children and assist early care and education providers to operate safely and minimize economic disruptions during the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak.The Senators write, “It is critical that all early care and education providers are equipped to … Continue Reading
March 16, 2020
Van Hollen, Markey, Colleagues Push to Ensure All Students Can Remotely Continue Education During Coronavirus Emergency
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), along with a number of their colleagues in calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to temporarily allow schools to utilize E-Rate program funding to provide Wi-Fi hotspots or devices with Wi-Fi capability to students who lack internet access at home. This action would help ensure that all students can remotely continue their education during the current public health emergency. The coronavirus … Continue Reading
March 13, 2020
Van Hollen, Smith Introduce Bill to Ensure Free Coronavirus Testing for All Americans
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has joined Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) along with a number of their Democratic Senate colleagues in introducing the Free COVID-19 Testing Act, which would expand free tests to confirm coronavirus (COVID-19) infections.The Free COVID-19 Testing Act would waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 diagnostic testing and related health care services for individuals enrolled in private health plans, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, VA as well as … Continue Reading
March 13, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Warner, Kaine Urge Financial Regulators to Take Measures to Protect Hospitality and Tourism Industry Workers During Coronavirus Outbreak
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) as well as Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) sent a letter to the financial regulators asking them to take action to mitigate the adverse impacts of the coronavirus on workers in the hospitality and tourism industry. The letter was sent to Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve; Joseph Otting, Comptroller of the Currency; Jelena McWilliams, Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Mark … Continue Reading
March 13, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Brown Press Social Security Administration on Telework Policies
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) urged Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Andrew Saul to expand telework availability at SSA and provide clear communication to their employees on these policies. In December of last year, the Senators wrote to SSA conveying their concerns about SSA’s decision to end telework for nearly 12,000 employees. This year, SSA made further cuts to telework in other divisions, … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen, Smith Introduce Bill to Protect Quarantined Workers from Being Fired or Punished by Employers Amid Coronavirus
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in introducing legislation to prohibit employers from firing, punishing or otherwise discriminating against a worker who is quarantined or isolated - or who is caring for a family member in quarantine or isolation - amid the coronavirus pandemic.“Employees should not be fired for being in quarantine or medical isolation,” said Senator Van Hollen. “As the nation confronts a public health emergency, we must give … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen Joins Peters, Colleagues in Introducing Bill with Colleagues to Provide Unemployment Assistance to Those Affected by Coronavirus
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has joined Senate Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI) and 22 colleagues in introducing the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act to provide federally-funded unemployment assistance to individuals affected by the coronavirus outbreak.“The coronavirus has already taken a serious toll on American jobs and our economy. We must immediately ensure help for those who have been impacted, so they can make rent, feed their families, and … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen Asks OMB General Counsel to Recuse Himself in GAO Inquiry, Resign as Designated Ethics Official
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) General Counsel Mark Paoletta asking that he recuse himself from ongoing inquiries regarding the Administration’s withholding of aid to Ukraine, due to Mr. Paoletta’s highly misleading statement to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In his letter, the Senator also requests that Paoletta step down as the Designated Agency Ethics Official at OMB. Paoletta’s statement to the GAO came in … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen, Murray, DeLauro Introduce New Emergency Paid Sick Days Legislation
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), to introduce new, emergency paid sick leave legislation, building off the Healthy Families Act (HFA), to provide paid sick days immediately to workers in light of the coronavirus crisis, and in preparation for future public health emergencies. This legislation is included in the Families First … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen, Rubio, McGovern, Colleagues Introduce Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Todd Young (R-IN), Dick Durbin (D- IL), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) in introducing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. This bipartisan and bicameral bill will ensure that goods made in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) imported into the United States are not made with forced labor. U.S. Representatives James P. … Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Van Hollen, Gallagher, Cotton, and Colleagues Introduce Bill to Freeze Huawei from U.S. Financial System
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), along with a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing the Neutralizing Emerging Threats from Wireless OEMs Receiving direction from Kleptocracies and Surveillance states (NETWORKS) Act, companion bills that would add foreign companies producing 5G technology, like Huawei, to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List should they engage in economic or … Continue Reading
March 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Cardin, Colleagues Request the IRS Extend Tax-Filing Deadline for Individual Taxpayers
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, and Ben Cardin (D-Md,), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined a group of Senate colleagues in urging Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig to extend the April 15, 2020 tax-filing deadline to provide taxpayers greater flexibility amid challenges caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus. Currently, there are more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus in 38 states, with 35 deaths so far. … Continue Reading
March 11, 2020
Van Hollen Presses EPA on Bay Enforcement Authority, Telework Policies
Today, during a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) pressed Douglas Benevento, nominee to be Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the Agency’s authority to enforce the Chesapeake Bay Agreement TMDL pollution reduction targets. The Senator also questioned Benevento, who currently serves as the EPA’s Associate Deputy Administrator, on the Agency’s recent reduction of telework policies. Lastly, the … Continue Reading
March 11, 2020
In Letter to President, Van Hollen, Democratic Senators Call for Coronavirus Economic Response Focused on Helping Those Workers & Families Most Harmed
Today in a letter to President Trump, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA), and 32 other Senate Democrats called for an economic stimulus package focused on helping working Americans and their families who will be most harmed by the outbreak and spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus in the United States.“The spread of COVID-19 will create economic ramifications that will affect individuals, families, and regions differently. While following social distancing … Continue Reading
March 11, 2020
Van Hollen, Murray, Democrats Push Scalia to Advocate for Workers, Question DOL’s Absence from Task Force
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 20 other Democratic Senators in demanding that Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia ensure the federal government’s response to coronavirus address the immediate and long-term needs of workers. The Democrats expressed concern regarding the Department of Labor’s (DOL) continued absence or exclusion from the President’s Coronavirus Task Force. Senator Murray has been leading the effort to protect workers and last week … Continue Reading
