Press Releases
Van Hollen Introduces Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Bob Casey (D-Penn.) to introduce legislation to lower the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs by allowing Americans to import safe, low-cost medicine from Canada. Reps. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) introduced a companion bill in the House. Both measures would authorize the secretary of Health and Human Services in two years to allow importation from other … Continue Reading
February 28, 2017
Van Hollen Condemns Recent Anti-Semitic and Hateful Incidents
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement condemning recent threats to Jewish community centers and otherhateful and discriminatory acts: "In Maryland and across the country, Americans are being threatened and attacked for what they believe and where they are from. There's no doubt that this epidemic of anti-Semitism and racism stems from the so-called leaders who have emboldened those who preach hate and stoke fear. We will not waver in our commitment to protect … Continue Reading
February 28, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Trump’s Address to Congress
TodayU.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement on President Trump's address to the Joint Session of Congress: "As he said tonight, President Trump has had a busy first month in office - but his actions have not kept his promises to put working families first. "He has failed to put forward an economic plan or offer a concrete proposal for sustained job creation. And he failed to drain the swamp in Washington, instead installing Wall Street billionaires in his Cabinet and … Continue Reading
February 28, 2017
Van Hollen, Tester, Franken, Hassan, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Strengthen Education for America’s Troops and Veterans
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Jon Tester, Ranking Member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, and Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in introducing legislation to ensure that America's veterans have access to educational opportunities. The Senators' Educational Development (ED) for Troops and Veterans Act will provide education benefits to service members who often have to leave behind schools, jobs, and homes to serve their … Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Van Hollen, Bennet Reintroduce RACE for Children Act to Boost Pediatric Cancer Research
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Cory Gardner (R-CO), along with Representatives Michael T. McCaul (R-TX-10), G. K. Butterfield (D-NC-01), Sean Duffy (R-WI-07), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09) today reintroduced theRACE for Children Act (Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity for Children Act) to support the development of innovative and promising cancer drugs for children. The bipartisan bill, first introduced in the 114th Congress, would … Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Trump Budget Blueprint
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees, released the following statement on President Trump's FY 2018 budget guidance to federal agencies: "President Trump's first budget blueprint puts our nation on a collision course that will hurt working families, undermine job growth, and threaten America's future. It is basic math. Prioritizing military spending above all else means less funding for important domestic priorities - from supporting … Continue Reading
February 20, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Legislation to Bring Harriet Tubman Statue to the U.S. Capitol Building
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (Both D-Md.) announced new legislation to bring a statue ofHarrietTubmanto the U.S. Capitol Building. In 2012, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation creating theHarrietTubmanStatue Commission to fundraise and commission an artist to sculpt a statue to donate for display in the U.S. Capitol Building. Congress must pass legislation in order to accept the donation, and this bill is the critical next step in the process. It will direct … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Van Hollen Raises Concerns about Executive Order on “Two for One” Regulatory Reform
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) and 7 colleagues in sending a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director Mark Sandy to raise concerns and questions about President Trump's executive order to establish a "two for one" rule under which federal agencies are required to identify two existing regulations for elimination for every new regulation issued. In the letter, the senators raise concerns that the arbitrary "two for one" … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Van Hollen Joins Cardin in Sending Dissent Cable Letter to Secretary Tillerson
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the full Democratic membership of the Committee in sending a letter Thursday to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, urging him to take full and appropriate advantage of the State Department's 'Dissent Channel.' U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.); Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.); Chris Coons (D-Del.); Tom Udall (D-N.M.); Chris Murphy (D-Conn.); Tim Kaine (D-Va.); Edward Markey … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Van Hollen Joins Cardin to Introduce Bill to Ban Religious, Racial and Discriminatory Profiling by Law Enforcement
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and more than two dozen Senators in introducing an updated version of Senator Cardin's legislation to ban discriminatory profiling by all levels of law enforcement nationwide. S. 411, the End Racial and Religious Profiling Act of 2017 (ERRPA), is designed to enforce the constitutional right to equal protection of laws through changing policies and procedures for law enforcement and promoting best practices in community-based law … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Van Hollen Introduces Legislation Rescinding Trump’s Massive Deportation Executive Order
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and a group of 18 Democratic Senators to introduce legislation to rescind President Trump's Executive Order on Interior Enforcement, which directs the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the deportation of a vast majority of undocumented immigrants living and contributing to U.S. communities. "President Trump's effort to divide us along lines of race, religion, and place of birth are shameful," said … Continue Reading
February 15, 2017
Van Hollen Calls for Independent Prosecutor to Investigate Trump Officials’ Collusion with Russia and Apparent White House Cover-Up
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and a group of Senators in calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appoint an independent Special Counsel to investigate possible illegal communications between retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn and representatives of the Russian government, as well as efforts by Flynn and other White House officials to conceal any wrongdoing. "An independent investigation is now necessary to determine what General Flynn … Continue Reading
February 15, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin, Manchin, Capito Introduce Legislation to Designate Appalachian Forest Heritage Area
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ben Cardin (M-MD), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) today introduced the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area Act of 2017.This bipartisan legislation will provide a cooperative management framework to West Virginia and Maryland, eighteen counties within those states, all levels of government and the private sector to work collaboratively to conserve the cultural, natural and historical heritage and pursue economic opportunities … Continue Reading
February 14, 2017
Van Hollen, Schatz, Gillibrand Introduce Legislation to Provide Working Parents with Paid Leave
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (FEPPLA), legislation that would provide federal employees with six weeks of paid leave, under the Family and Medical Leave Act, for the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child. "As the only industrialized country without paid parental leave, the United States leaves too many mothers and fathers no choice but to return to work mere … Continue Reading
February 10, 2017
Van Hollen, Cardin Announce $154,574 in ARC Grants, Local Funding for Western Maryland
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced $154,574 in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grants and local funding to boost economic development in Western Maryland. ARC will provide $57,287 in funding to Hagerstown Community College's Electronics Laboratory to purchase new equipment, which will be equally matched by the College. The $114,574 investment in new devices will be used by 142 students each year who are studying applied sciences and engineering … Continue Reading
February 09, 2017
Van Hollen, Gillibrand Introduce FAMILY Act to Create Paid Family and Medical Leave Program
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and a group of 26 Senators to reintroduce the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, or FAMILY Act, legislation that would create a universal, gender-neutral paid family and medical leave program. The United States is the only industrialized nation without a national paid leave program, and only 14 percent of American workers have access to paid family leave through their employer. Without a national paid … Continue Reading
February 09, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Ninth Circuit Court Ruling on Trump Immigration Executive Order
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled to continue blocking the enforcement of President Trump's immigration executive order: "No 'so-called' justice here. This ruling is true to our law and values, and it will strengthen our security rather than play into the hands of … Continue Reading
February 09, 2017
Van Hollen Pledges to Fight Unfair Trump Attacks on Federal Workers
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and other Senate Democrats in unveiling "Five Fights for Federal Employees," a proposal to protect current and retired government workers from ideologically motivated attacks from Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration. This resolution is a statement of principles that Senate Democrats intend to use to fight back against Republican attacks on the federal workforce. These principles include a … Continue Reading
February 07, 2017
Van Hollen Speaks Out Against Betsy DeVos on Senate Floor
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke on the Senate floor to oppose the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. An excerpt of his remarks is available below, and video is available here: "Maryland schools and schools throughout the country deserve a champion in their Secretary of Education. When President Trump and congressional Republicans proposed plans to cut and divert federal education funding, we need a Secretary of Education who is going to fight for public … Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Rep. Mick Mulvaney for OMB Director
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen submitted the following statement to the congressional record in opposition to the confirmation of Congressman Mick Mulvaney as Director of the Office of Management and Budget: "Mr. President, I know Mick Mulvaney. We served together for 6 years in the House of Representatives. I have always found him to be a straight shooter. And he was a champion of budget transparency. I also respect him for taking on some budget fights even when they were not popular with his … Continue Reading
