Van Hollen, Chris, 1959-

VAN HOLLEN, Christopher, a Senator and a Representative from Maryland; born in Karachi, Pakistan, January 10, 1959; B.A., Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa., 1982; M.P.P., Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., 1985; J.D., Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., 1990; lawyer, private practice; member of the Maryland state house of representatives, 1990-1994; member of the Maryland state senate, 1994-2002; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Eighth and to the six succeeding Congresses (January 3, 2003-January 3, 2017); was not a candidate for reelection to the House of Representatives but was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 2016 for the term ending January 3, 2023; chair, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (2017-2018).

<p>Elected to the United States Senate by the people of Maryland in November 2016, Chris Van Hollen is committed to fighting every day to ensure that our state and our country live up to their full promise of equal rights, equal justice, and equal opportunity.</p>

<p>Senator Van Hollen believes that every child deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams and benefit from a quality education, and that anyone willing to work hard should be able to find a good job. That's why his top priorities include creating more and better jobs, strengthening small businesses, and increasing educational and job training opportunities for individuals of all ages and in every community.</p>

<p>Senator Van Hollen started his time in public service as a member of the Maryland State Legislature, where he became known as a tenacious advocate for everyday Marylanders and someone who was unafraid to take on powerful special interests on behalf of working people. In 2002, he was elected to represent Maryland's 8th Congressional District. In the House of Representatives, he served as a member of the Democratic leadership and was elected by his colleagues to be the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee and protect vital interests like Social Security and Medicare.</p>

<p>Christopher J. Van Hollen Jr. (born January 10, 1959) is an American attorney and politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Maryland since January 3, 2017. From 2003 to 2017 he served as the U.S. Representative for Maryland's 8th congressional district. He is a member of the Democratic Party.</p>

<p>In 2007, Van Hollen became the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). In this post, he was responsible for leading efforts to defend vulnerable Democrats and get more Democrats elected to Congress in 2008, which he did. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi created a new leadership post, Assistant to the Speaker, in 2006 so that Van Hollen could be present at all leadership meetings. He was elected Ranking Member on the Budget Committee on November 17, 2010. Pelosi appointed Van Hollen to the 12-member bipartisan Committee on Deficit Reduction with a mandate for finding major budget reductions by late 2011. On October 17, 2013, Pelosi appointed Van Hollen to serve on the bicameral conference committee.</p>

<p>Van Hollen ran for the United States Senate in 2016 to replace retiring Senator Barbara Mikulski. He defeated Congresswoman Donna Edwards in the Democratic primary and won the general election 60 to 36 percent. Van Hollen served as Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) from 2017 to 2019.</p>