Feb. 15, 2022
ANNAPOLIS, M.D. — Today, Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) filed for re-election to continue serving Marylanders in the United States Senate. Upon filing, Senator Van Hollen released the following statement and video:
“We stand at a pivotal moment that requires bold action to meet the big challenges we face. I am running for re-election to the United States Senate to uphold our values of justice, equality, and freedom; to protect our democracy; and to continue to deliver real results for all the people of Maryland.
“Since President Biden was sworn-in, we have taken bold steps to defeat the pandemic and help families, workers, small businesses, and others weather the economic storm. Our work to pass the American Rescue Plan accelerated the deployment of vaccines to save lives and extended a financial lifeline to millions of struggling Marylanders while spurring record job growth. We also passed a historic infrastructure modernization plan that will put more Marylanders to work in good-paying jobs, building out the physical backbone of our country for the 21st century. I am proud to have fought successfully to include many key initiatives that benefit all Marylanders in both of these historic measures, including funds to expand access to affordable high-speed internet; support our students and schools; help our small businesses; reduce the cost of health care; cut childhood poverty; upgrade our roads, bridges, ports, and transit systems; and protect the Chesapeake Bay. These measures benefit Marylanders in every part of our beautiful and diverse state.
“I always look for ways to work across party lines to achieve bipartisan results and will continue to do so. But the test of whether we take important action cannot be whether Washington Republicans agree or disagree. The test must be whether the action improves the lives of the American people, and we face strong resistance from those who want to drag our country backwards.
“For four years I fought to protect Marylanders from the poisonous policies of the Trump Administration, including their attempt to take health care away from millions of Americans by repealing the Affordable Care Act. And, today in the Senate, Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans have opposed our plans to move America forward almost every step of the way. Not one voted to support the American Rescue Plan, and they are now using the undemocratic filibuster rule to block progress on everything from voting rights to women’s rights, from cutting the costs of prescription drugs to enacting common-sense gun safety measures; from ending secret money in elections to moving to a clean energy future to confront the climate crisis.
“Despite this wall of obstruction, we have not given up on acting to expand opportunity and relieve pressures on family budgets by significantly cutting the costs of quality child care, giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, providing universal early education, and rapidly accelerating the use of cheaper clean energy. We can pay for these investments by closing corporate tax breaks that allow multinational corporations to stash their profits in places like the Cayman Islands and by requiring big polluters to pay to clean up their mess. I have authored many provisions in these bills and will continue to work to get them over the finish line.
“The 2022 midterm elections will present a stark choice. The Senate is now evenly divided, and Mitch McConnell needs to flip only one Senate seat to win back control and block all further progress. I am running to build a stronger, more inclusive economy that works for all Americans and to oppose the powerful, big-money special interests intent on feathering their own nests at the expense of everyone else. I am seeking re-election to continue the work to form a more perfect and just union and to stop those who aim to dismantle our democracy and turn back the clock.
“Maryland is called ‘America in miniature’ because of the rich diversity of our communities and our varied landscape. From the mountains of Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, from Baltimore to the Washington suburbs and Southern Maryland, we reflect many different experiences and perspectives. But we also have a shared belief in the power of the American spirit to overcome adversity, the fundamental principles our country was founded on, and the responsibility to leave our children an even better country and world than we found. I am confident that by working together we can meet our biggest challenges and that our best days are still ahead.
“I ask all Marylanders to join me on this journey.”
Senator Van Hollen is supported by a broad and diverse group of over 30 Maryland and national organizations. Over the coming weeks, the Senator will be announcing these endorsements — which span groups representing union workers in the building trades, environmental causes, women’s rights and others fighting for civil rights, labor unions representing front line workers and emergency responders, those fighting for campaign finance reform and common-sense gun safety measures and more.