Chris Van Hollen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Van Hollen
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Official portrait, 2017
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| United States Senator from Maryland |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Angela Alsobrooks
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| Preceded by | Barbara Mikulski |
| Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Leader | Chuck Schumer |
| Preceded by | Jon Tester |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Cortez Masto |
| House Democratic Assistant to the Leader | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Xavier Becerra |
| Succeeded by | Jim Clyburn (Assistant Democratic Leader) |
| Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Rahm Emanuel |
| Succeeded by | Steve Israel |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 8th district |
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| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Connie Morella |
| Succeeded by | Jamie Raskin |
| Member of the Maryland Senate from the 18th district |
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| In office January 11, 1995 – January 8, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Patricia Sher |
| Succeeded by | Sharon M. Grosfeld |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 18th district |
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| In office January 9, 1991 – January 11, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Patricia Sher Lawrence Wiser |
| Succeeded by | Sharon Grosfeld |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Christopher Van Hollen Jr. January 10, 1959 Karachi, Pakistan |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Katherine Wilkens
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent |
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| Education | Swarthmore College (BA) Harvard University (MPP) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Chris Van Hollen (born January 10, 1959) is an American politician. He is a United States Senator for Maryland. He has held this important job since 2017.
Before becoming a senator, he was a U.S. representative for Maryland from 2003 to 2017. He also served as a Maryland state senator from 1995 to 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
In 2007, Van Hollen became the leader of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). This group helps get more Democrats elected to Congress. He was very successful in this role, especially in 2008.
In 2016, Van Hollen ran for the U.S. Senate. He won the election with 61% of the votes. He was reelected in 2022. He became Maryland's senior senator when Ben Cardin retired in 2025.
Early Life and Education
Chris Van Hollen was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on January 10, 1959. He was the oldest of three children. His parents, Edith and Christopher Van Hollen, were Americans.
His father was a Foreign Service officer. This means he worked for the U.S. government in other countries. His father was even a U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. His mother worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department. She focused on intelligence in South Asia.
Chris Van Hollen spent parts of his childhood in Pakistan, Turkey, India, and Sri Lanka. He returned to the United States for high school. He went to Middlesex School in Massachusetts.
He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1982 with a degree in philosophy. He then studied at Harvard University, earning a Master's degree in public policy in 1985. In 1990, he earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.
Starting His Political Journey
After college, Van Hollen worked for U.S. Senator Charles Mathias from 1985 to 1987. He also worked for the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. This committee deals with how the U.S. interacts with other countries.
From 1989 to 1991, he was an advisor to Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer. In 1990, he became a lawyer and joined a law firm.
Serving in the Maryland State Legislature (1991–2003)
Van Hollen served in the Maryland General Assembly for 12 years. First, he was in the Maryland House of Delegates (1991–1995). Then, he moved to the Maryland State Senate (1995–2003).
In the State Senate, he worked on the Budget and Taxation Committee. He helped pass laws to raise the tobacco tax. He also worked to stop oil drilling in the Chesapeake Bay. He supported laws requiring trigger locks for guns. He also helped increase money for education and healthcare.
The Washington Post newspaper called him "one of the most accomplished members of the General Assembly" in 2002. This means he was very effective.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (2003–2017)
Chris Van Hollen was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2002. He represented Maryland's 8th congressional district. He won against Connie Morella, who had been in office for a long time.
One reason he won was a change in the district's boundaries. This change made the district more likely to vote for a Democrat. Van Hollen also worked hard to connect with voters. He focused on issues like education funding and protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
He was reelected four times, winning with more than 70% of the votes each time.
Important Work in the House
In 2003, Van Hollen was recognized for his work in education. He always introduces a bill called the Keep Our PACT Act. This bill aims to fully fund important education laws like No Child Left Behind.
He also helped change a law about student loans. This change made more money available for student loans. Because many federal employees live in his district, he worked on issues important to them. He supported fair pay raises for government workers. He also worked to stop federal jobs from being sent to private companies.
Van Hollen also helped get federal money for local projects. These projects included transportation, homeland security, and community development. He often spoke about national security issues, especially the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2006, he helped create a group in Congress focused on the Netherlands. This group works to improve the relationship between the U.S. and the Netherlands.
In 2009, Van Hollen proposed a bill to create a "green bank." This bank would help fund projects that use clean energy and save energy. He reintroduced this bill in 2014.
In 2011, he sued the Federal Election Commission. He believed they had created a loophole that allowed secret money in elections. He argued that this loophole kept voters from knowing who was funding political campaigns.
During the 2012 presidential campaign, Van Hollen helped Joe Biden prepare for debates. He pretended to be the Republican candidate, Paul Ryan.
Committees and Leadership Roles
While in the House, Van Hollen was the top Democrat on the Budget Committee. He also served on the United States Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. This committee worked to find ways to reduce the national debt.
He was also part of several groups in Congress, including:
- The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus.
- The Congressional Soccer Caucus.
- The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force.
- The Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus.
Serving in the U.S. Senate (2017–present)
Senate Elections
In 2016, Chris Van Hollen was elected to the United States Senate. He won against Republican Kathy Szeliga. He took the place of Senator Barbara Mikulski, who retired after 30 years.
In 2022, he was reelected for his second term. He won with nearly 66% of the votes.
Key Moments in the Senate
After the 2016 elections, Van Hollen was chosen to lead the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). This group helps elect Democrats to the Senate.
On January 6, 2021, Van Hollen was walking to the Senate chambers when the Capitol building was attacked. Police stopped him and told him the building was locked down. He returned to his office and stayed there during the attack.
After the attack, Van Hollen called for an investigation. He also said that the former president should be removed from office.
Senate Committees
Currently, Senator Van Hollen serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Appropriations: This committee decides how the government spends money.
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: This committee deals with banks, housing, and city development.
- Committee on Foreign Relations: This committee handles foreign policy and international relations.
- Committee on the Budget: This committee works on the federal budget.
Political Beliefs
Economy
Chris Van Hollen supports several economic policies. He wants to increase the minimum wage. He also supports paid sick leave for workers. He believes in equal pay for women and wants to increase the child care tax credit.
Elections
In 2018, Van Hollen helped create a law called the Protect Our Elections Act. This law aims to stop foreign countries from owning or controlling companies that run U.S. elections. It also makes these companies tell the government if foreign ownership changes.
Foreign Policy
In May 2020, Van Hollen spoke against Israel's plan to take over parts of the West Bank.
Gun Laws
Van Hollen supports stronger gun laws. He has been endorsed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. This group works for more government rules on guns.
In 2015, he proposed a law that would require people to get a license to buy a handgun. He said that if states require licenses to drive a car, they should also require them to buy a deadly handgun.
Health
Van Hollen supports the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. He has often defended this healthcare law.
Journalism
In 2019, Van Hollen supported a bill to create a memorial for journalists. This memorial would honor reporters, photographers, and broadcasters who died while doing their jobs.
Taxes
Van Hollen supports higher taxes for wealthy people. He is against getting rid of the federal estate tax. This tax is paid on money or property left by someone who has died.
Personal Life
Chris Van Hollen is married to Katherine Wilkens. They have three children named Anna, Nicholas, and Alexander. He is of Dutch descent and is a member of the Episcopal Church.
In May 2022, Van Hollen announced that he had a minor stroke. He stayed in the hospital for a few days but was expected to make a full recovery. He returned to work in the Senate soon after.
Images for kids
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Chris Van Hollen's signature.
