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Live | U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 1d

Every day Republicans are choosing to keep the government closed rather than lower your health care costs.

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 1d

🚨STARTING NOW: As we enter another week of Trump's shutdown, @alsobrooks.senate.gov and I are hosting a telephone town hall with Marylanders to discuss our fight to reopen the government and prevent a health care crisis in America.

Tune in: www.vanhollen.senate.gov/live

The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland

www.vanhollen.senate.gov

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 1d

Trump is taking a wrecking ball to Lady Liberty — snuffing out her torch of freedom and humanity.

And by favoring white South Africans over true refugees, he is making a mockery of the entire system. A truly twisted person.

Trump Administration Is Said to Plan to Cut Refugee Admissions to a Record Low

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 2d

I’m glad Van Jones apologized for his sick joking about dead kids in Gaza.

But the problem goes deeper: he spread Netanyahu propaganda that the mass killings of civilians in Gaza—including 20K+ kids—is Iranian fake news.

It’s not the students and young people who are fooled. It’s Van Jones.

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 2d

JD Vance is blaming Democrats for Trump’s government shutdown. That’s BS.

What he didn’t tell you? Senate Republicans voted against our bill to reopen the government and prevent a health care crisis FOUR TIMES.

The truth: They’d rather keep it shut than lower health care costs.

October 5, 2025

I met with relatives of Americans on Gaza aid flotilla who were detained by Netanyahu government

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 2d

The Israeli Minister in charge of prisons has called for the starvation of civilians in Gaza yet he's the one calling the flotilla participants — including American vets — trying to feed starving civilians in Gaza “terrorists.”

Outrageous and unacceptable.

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 2d

On Friday I spoke with relatives of Americans on the Gaza aid flotilla who were being detained by Netanyahu’s government.

Ambassador Huckabee says his highest duty is to protect Americans abroad but has done virtually nothing to return them. He needs to do his job.

Judge Says DOJ May Be Vindictively Punishing Abrego Garcia for Challenging Removal to El Salvador

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 4d

Today a judge said what has been clear from the beginning: the evidence shows the Trump Admin is vindictively punishing Mr. Abrego Garcia for having the audacity to pursue his due process rights.

Those rights MUST be upheld. This is not about one man — it’s about ALL our rights.

Read more here.

www.democracydocket.com

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 4d

Let me be clear: this is stealing from the American people. They think this illegal blackmail will make us cave — but it's just proving exactly why we can't give these crooks a blank check.

Americans won't tolerate their tax dollars and communities being held hostage.

Trump to withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects amid shutdown battle

The pause affects a long-awaited plan to extend the city’s Red Line train. White House budget director Russ Vought wrote on social media Friday that the money was “put on hold to ensure funding is not...

www.pbs.org

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 4d

Let me get this straight: American taxpayers pay for bombs and planes that the Netanyahu government uses to strike sites in Qatar, and now Trump enters into a security agreement where he promises to use American soldiers and money to protect Qatar?

Is this what he means by America First?

Trump commits US to defending Qatar’s security | CNN Politics

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order for the US to guarantee the security of Qatar — a significant commitment to a non-NATO, Arab ally.

www.cnn.com

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 5d

Trump doesn’t get to “determine” we’re at war—that’s Congress’s job. Check the Constitution, Art. 1, Sec 8, Clause 11.

And while he’s talking tough out of one side of his mouth, he’s disbanding the DOJ task force fighting cartels with the other.

This isn’t about public safety. It’s a power grab.

Trump ‘Determined’ the U.S. Is Now in a War With Drug Cartels, Congress Is Told

Trump offers top universities funds if they boost conservative ideas

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 5d

First Trump blackmailed universities into suppressing free speech. Now he’s bribing them with taxpayer dollars to enforce his agenda. Corruption and authoritarianism, plain and simple.

No university should cave to this blatantly unconstitutional coercion.

Brown and MIT among nine schools told to back conservative views or risk losing federal support, sparking free speech fears

www.theguardian.com

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 5d

Trump shut down the government because he thinks he's a king, and now troops aren't getting paid.

But sure, let's spend $20 billion to prop up a far-right government in Buenos Aires.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d

Bessent on Trump's bailout of Argentina: "America first doesn't mean America alone ... what you don't want are these failed economic models. Argentina has 100 years of decline and President Milei is working against history. He's done a fantastic job."

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 5d

Let's be clear: "immigration judges" are Trump's DOJ employees. He's already fired more than 80 of them — and he's made clear he'll fire anyone at DOJ who refuses to fall in line.

They've lied about this case from the start. A total corruption of our immigration justice system.

Immigration judge denies Kilmar Abrego García’s request to reopen case

The judge found “insufficient evidence” to show that the Trump administration would send Abrego to Uganda, according to a copy of the decision reviewed by The Washington Post.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 5d

Everything Trump touches turns to gold — for himself.

For everyone else, his policies are raising prices and making life flatly unaffordable.

Oh, and he shut down the government instead of joining us to prevent a health care crisis.

New Tariffs Could Worsen America’s Housing Crisis

Thune warns Democrats about Russ Vought: ‘We don’t control what he’s going to do’

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 5d

"We don't control what he's going to do" says Leader Thune as he literally tries to give Vought a blank check to do whatever the hell he wants.

Don't let them gaslight you — Senate Republicans are complicit in everything coming out of this White House.

The Senate majority leader spoke out as some Republicans express qualms about the White House slash-and-burn campaign.

www.politico.com

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 5d

Yeah. Because it's illegal.

Senior government officials privately warn against firings during shutdown

The Trump administration has said mass firings are coming, but officials have quietly warned several agencies that the move could violate appropriations law.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 5d

The wannabe king is huddling with his fixer to decide which vital services to rip away from Americans. Shutdown or not, Trump admits this is just more of their Project 2025 assault on our government.

And these are the people who want a blank check from Congress? Hell no.

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 6d

Trump and his cronies spent the day trying to blackmail Democrats into giving him a blank check for his lawlessness. It won’t work.

We don’t bow to wannabe dictators who use the American people as bargaining chips.

Trump and his cronies are trying to blackmail Democrats. It won’t work.

Republicans are lying through their teeth about this shutdown

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Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 6d

You’re losing when you’re lying — and Trump and Republicans are lying when they say our plan to reopen the government would give benefits to undocumented immigrants.

The truth: our plan reopens the government and defuses a health care timebomb REPUBLICANS set on the American people⬇️