Press Releases
Van Hollen, Sullivan Lead Discussion with Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), co-chairs of the bipartisan Foreign Service Caucus, hosted Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan for a discussion with their Senate colleagues. The Senators talked about U.S. foreign policy, the State Department's reorganization and management, and challenges confronting our diplomats at home and abroad. Senators Van Hollen and Sullivan were joined by a bipartisan group of 15 Senators. "Across the world and here … Continue Reading
December 18, 2017
Van Hollen Statement For The Record On The Nomination Of Owen West To Be Assistant Secretary Of Defense For Special Operations And Low Intensity Conflict
Mr. President, equality of opportunity is one of our nation's greatest pursuits and greatest struggles. Though the path has not been easy, our society has slowly and steadily become more just, more decent, and more powerful. President Obama's Defense Secretary Carter reaffirmed this principle when he stated that every qualified woman who met the high physical standards required of her would be allowed to serve our country in combat. Owen West soundly rejected this policy, and the ethic … Continue Reading
December 17, 2017
Van Hollen, Bipartisan Group of Senators Urge Appropriators to Strip Environmental Riders from End-of-Year Spending Package
Forty senators, including U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen(D-Md.),areurging appropriatorsnegotiating an end-of-year package to keep the spending bill free of dangerous environmental policy riders too often found in House appropriations. The letter, also supported byDemocratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), brings together more senators than have signed onto a letter of this type in recent history and more than the required number of … Continue Reading
December 17, 2017
Van Hollen State on the Nomination of Don R. Willett To Be A United States Circuit Judge For The Fifth Circuit
Mr. President, I opposed the nomination of Don Willet to serve as a Judge on the Fifth Circuit. Senate Republicans, lacking a robust legislative agenda, despite unilateral control of the government, decided to confirm another highly controversial nominee. Last week, Republicans confirmed three Circuit Court judges. In early November, Senate Republicans confirmed four judges in one week. This accelerated confirmation pace is unconventional and alarming. Republicans on the Judiciary Committee … Continue Reading
December 16, 2017
Van Hollen Discusses Republican Tax Plan on ABC’s This Week
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week to discuss the Republican tax plan and the news of the day. Below is a transcript of highlights of that interview, and the full video is available here: STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's move on to the tax bill right now. You heard Senator Cornyn right there inviting Democrats to come to the table for what he says will be a big boom to the middle class. Your response? VAN HOLLEN: Look, George, this is a total betrayal of … Continue Reading
December 13, 2017
Van Hollen, Senators: Proposed Cuts to EPA Threaten Public Health
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined three dozen Senators in pushing back on proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) budget that would threaten public health and the environment. "The Trump Administration has made dismantling the EPA a core mission. We urge you to oppose any legislation that advances that goal by further cutting the EPA's already decimated funding levels," the Senators wrote in a letter to Senate leaders. "Because of these endless … Continue Reading
December 11, 2017
Van Hollen, Senate Dems Urge Bipartisan Budget Negotiations & Forgo Partisan Funding Bill That Would Underfund Efforts To Combat the Opioid Epidemic, Security Agencies like the FBI, Cancer Research, Veterans Healthcare, Rural Infrastructure & More
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Senate Democrats today released a new letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging the Republican leaders to continue bipartisan budget negotiations and forgo a proposed partisan funding bill that would underfund efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, security agencies like the FBI, cancer research programs at the NIH, veterans healthcare, rural infrastructure, and more vital domestic programs. The letter, which was … Continue Reading
December 11, 2017
Van Hollen Urges Nationwide Review of VA Providers in Light of USA Today Report
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined a bipartisan group of U.S. Senatorson Fridayin calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a nationwide review of its providers after aUSA Todayinvestigationfound multiple providers hired by the Department had at least one state medical license revoked due to malpractice. In a letter to VA Secretary David Shulkin, the Senators presented a series of questions. "For years, states have experienced provider shortages across many different … Continue Reading
December 06, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $5 Million for UMD Cybersecurity Scholarships
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today announced that University of Maryland (UMD) College Park has been awarded a $5,046,316 grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service Program. This funding will provide scholarships and internship opportunities for 36 students in UMD's Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students (ACES) Program, the first undergraduate honors program in cybersecurity in the United States.The ACES … Continue Reading
December 06, 2017
Van Hollen, Markey, Collins, Capito Introduce Legislation to Extend Availability of New Alzheimer’s Semipostal Stamp
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.),today introduced legislation with to authorize the recently-released United States Postal Service Alzheimer's research stamp for an additional six years, providing more time to raise additional Alzheimer's research funds for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Senators made the announcement alongside U.S. Representatives Elijah Cummings (MD-07) and Maxine Waters … Continue Reading
December 05, 2017
Joining Hundreds of Thousands of Advocates and Patients, Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Demand Trump Administration Reinstate Birth Control Coverage for Millions of Women
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined a letter led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), calling on Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Eric Hargan to rescind President Trump's interim final rules (IFRs) issued on October 13, 2017 which enables employers and universities to interfere with their employees' and students' access to preventive health care by allowing them to choose not to cover birth control for religious or moral reasons. In the letter, senators highlighted the … Continue Reading
December 05, 2017
Van Hollen Urges EPA to Protect Strong Fuel Economy Standards
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), in calling on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to not weaken light-duty vehicle emissions standards for model 2022 through 2025 and strenuously object to revisiting emissions standards for model year 2021, which were never supposed to be part of the EPA's midterm evaluation. Since reaching an historic agreement with … Continue Reading
December 04, 2017
Senator Van Hollen Statement on the Nomination of Kirstjen Nielsen to DHS
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) release the following statement regarding his vote to oppose the nomination of Kirstjen Nielsen to the Department of Homeland Security. Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the nomination of Kirstjen Nielsen to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security. While I believe that Ms. Nielsen has a solid understanding of the department that she seeks to lead, I am not yet convinced that she will be a counterweight to the rabid anti-immigration policies coming out of … Continue Reading
December 04, 2017
Van Hollen Joins Senate Democrats in Urging President to Swiftly Nominate Aggressive Head of Consumer Watchdog
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Democratic Senators in a letter urging President Trump to follow the law and swiftly nominate apermanent director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) who will put working families ahead of Wall Street. The letter was led by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) In their letter, the Senators cited the CFPB's "aggressive enforcement and supervision," which has resulted in $12 billion in relief to 29 million … Continue Reading
December 04, 2017
Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Urge House Colleagues to Reject GOP Tax Bill
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen led a letter with his Senate colleagues from Maryland, California, New York, and New Jersey, urging the 29 House Republicans who represent these states to oppose the Republican tax bill in light of a study finding that residents of these four states would pay higher taxes under the plan. Senator Van Hollen was joined in this letter by Senators Cardin (D-Md.), Schumer (D-N.Y.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Menendez (D-N.J.), Booker (D-N.J.), Feinstein (D-Calif.), … Continue Reading
December 02, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Senate Passage of the GOP Tax Bill
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement today regarding Senate passage of the Republican tax legislation: "Tonight, Republicans put powerful corporate interests before their constituents - plain and simple. This bill hits the pocketbooks of millions of working families in Maryland and across the country. It is a huge giveaway to special interests and the uber rich, while so many middle class Americans are forced to foot the bill. What's more, this legislation adds over $1 … Continue Reading
November 30, 2017
Van Hollen,Cantwell, Menendez Offer Amendment to Ensure Tax Fairness, Protect Middle Class from Being Taxed Twice on Their Paychecks
Today, as tax reform takes center stage in Congress, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), offered a provision to keep in place the State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions, protecting taxpayers from paying taxes twice on every dollar they earn. As part of their legislation, Republicans have eliminated the SALT deductions for taxpayers to help pay for their massive tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. Currently, taxpayers pay state and … Continue Reading
November 30, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s Guilty Plea
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement today regarding Michael Flynn's guilty plea in Special Counsel Mueller's Russia investigation. "Michael Flynn's guilty plea today throws a dark shadow on this Administration and the Trump campaign's actions throughout the election. I am deeply disturbed by the extent to which the Trump campaign was in contact with Russia. The American people deserve the facts. This plea demonstrates why it is so important to have Special Counsel … Continue Reading
November 29, 2017
Van Hollen, Senate Dems Urge Leadership to Protect Endangered Species Act in Spending Bill
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), joined 30 of his Democratic colleagues today in urging Senate leadership to protect endangered species in the end of year spending bill being negotiated ahead of next Friday's government funding deadline. The letter comes a week after the Senate Committee on Appropriations released its FY2018 recommendations for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, which included a number of provisions - such as funding cuts and court … Continue Reading
November 29, 2017
Van Hollen, Toomey Urge Action on North Korea, Passage of BRINK Act
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) released the following joint statement in response to North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile yesterday: "North Korea's continued provocations, including the launch of yet another ballistic missile, demand immediate action from Congress and this Administration. North Korea's nuclear ambitions threaten the United States and our allies, and their actions yesterday demonstrate we must finally put real teeth in economic sanctions … Continue Reading
