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 |  |
| Website | |
Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen Jr. (born January 10, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician. He is currently the senior U.S. Senator for Maryland. He has held this position since 2017.
Van Hollen is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming a senator, he was a U.S. Representative for Maryland's 8th congressional district from 2003 to 2017. He also served as a Maryland state senator from 1995 to 2003.
In 2007, Van Hollen became the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). This group helps elect Democrats to the House of Representatives. He worked to protect Democrats already in office and get more elected in 2008. He also led the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) from 2017 to 2019. This group helps elect Democrats to the Senate.
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 diplomat who worked for the U.S. government in other countries. His mother worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department.
Because of his parents' jobs, Chris spent parts of his childhood in Pakistan, Turkey, India, and Sri Lanka. He returned to the United States for high school.
He went to Swarthmore College and earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1982. He then studied at Harvard University, getting a master's degree in public policy in 1985. Later, he earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1990.
Early Political Career
After college, Van Hollen worked for U.S. Senator Charles Mathias from 1985 to 1987. He helped with defense and foreign policy issues. He also worked for the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and as an advisor to Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer.
In 1990, he became a lawyer in Maryland. He then joined a law firm.
Maryland State Legislature (1991–2003)
Van Hollen served in the Maryland General Assembly for 12 years. From 1991 to 1995, he was in the Maryland House of Delegates. From 1995 to 2003, he was in the Maryland State Senate.
In the State Senate, he worked on the Budget and Taxation Committee. He helped pass laws to raise the tobacco tax and stop oil drilling in the Chesapeake Bay. He also supported laws requiring trigger locks for guns. He worked to increase money for education and healthcare.
U.S. House of Representatives (2003–2017)
Becoming a Representative
In 2002, Chris Van Hollen ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He ran in Maryland's 8th congressional district. The district's boundaries had been changed, making it more likely for a Democrat to win.
He won a tough primary election against other Democratic candidates. Then, he defeated the Republican who had held the seat for many years, Connie Morella. Van Hollen won by focusing on issues like education funding and protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
After his first win, Van Hollen was reelected six more times. He always won with more than 60% of the votes.
Work in the House
As a U.S. Representative, Van Hollen focused on several important areas.
- Education: He worked to make sure schools received enough money. He introduced a bill called the Keep Our PACT Act. This bill aimed to fully fund important education laws like No Child Left Behind. He also helped change student loan rules to make more money available for students.
- Federal Employees: Many federal employees live in his district. Van Hollen worked to ensure they received fair pay raises. He also tried to prevent federal jobs from being moved to private companies.
- Local Projects: He helped get federal money for transportation, homeland security, and community projects in his district.
- National Security: He often spoke about national security issues, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
- Clean Energy: In 2009, he introduced a bill to create a "green bank." This bank would help fund projects for clean energy and energy efficiency.
- Campaign Finance: He introduced the DISCLOSE Act to make it clearer who is funding political campaigns. He also sued the Federal Election Commission to stop a loophole that allowed secret campaign donations.
- Disabilities: In 2014, he helped pass the ABLE Act. This law allows people with disabilities to save money tax-free for expenses related to their disability.
U.S. Senate (2017–present)
Becoming a Senator
In 2016, Chris Van Hollen ran for the United States Senate. He wanted to take the place of Senator Barbara Mikulski, who was retiring. He won the Democratic primary election. Then, he won the general election against Republican Kathy Szeliga with 61% of the votes.
He was reelected for a second term in 2022. He won with nearly 66% of the votes. As of 2025, he became Maryland's senior senator.
Key Moments in the Senate
- January 6, 2021: Van Hollen was at the Capitol when it was attacked. He called the people involved a "violent mob" and said he wanted an immediate investigation. He also called for the removal of the president at the time.
- Travel to El Salvador: In April 2025, Van Hollen visited El Salvador. He was trying to help a Maryland resident, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was being held there. He was not allowed to visit the prison or speak with the person.
Committee Work
As a senator, Van Hollen serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Appropriations: This committee decides how the government spends money. He chairs the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: This committee deals with banks, housing, and city development.
- Committee on Foreign Relations: This committee handles issues with other countries.
- Committee on the Budget: This committee works on the government's budget.
Political Views
Chris Van Hollen has clear views on many issues:
- Environment: He strongly supports protecting the environment. In 2023, he received a perfect score from the League of Conservation Voters.
- Economy: He supports increasing the minimum wage and providing paid sick leave. He also believes in equal pay for women.
- Elections: He has worked on laws to prevent foreign countries from interfering in U.S. elections.
- Gun Control: He supports stricter gun laws. He has been endorsed by groups that want more gun regulation. He voted against repealing parts of the Washington, D.C., firearm ban. He also supports banning assault weapons and requiring licenses to buy handguns. He co-sponsored a bill to ban bump stocks after the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.
- Healthcare: He supports the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). He also supports a woman's right to choose and co-sponsored the Women's Health Protection Act.
- Israel–Palestine: He has voiced concerns about Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank. He has also called for the U.S. to hold Israel accountable for actions in the Gaza war.
- Journalism: He co-sponsored a bill to create a memorial for journalists who have died while doing their job.
- LGBTQ Rights: He opposed a ban on transgender people serving in the military.
- Taxes: He generally supports higher taxes on the wealthy. He opposes eliminating the federal estate tax.
Personal Life
Chris Van Hollen is married to Katherine Wilkens, and they have three children: Anna, Nicholas, and Alexander. He is of Dutch background and is a member of the Episcopal Church.
In May 2022, Van Hollen 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 shortly after.
Images for kids
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Van Hollen meets with Kilmar Ábrego García in April 2025.
See also
In Spanish: Chris Van Hollen para niños
