Since Judge Barrett’s nomination was announced, I’ve heard from many constituents who have reached out to share their healthcare stories. Earlier this month, I spoke to Jaqueline Beale, a two-time cancer survivor, Xiomara, a six-year old Marylander born with 10 pre-existing conditions, and Elena, her mother. Jaqueline and Elena made one thing very clear during our conversation: they need the Affordable Care Act. This law, while not perfect, has brought them and many other Marylanders peace of mind knowing they won’t be denied coverage or charged more because of pre-existing conditions. And the ACA’s elimination of annual and lifetime benefit caps keeps Jacqueline and Xiomara from being kicked off their healthcare plans if they incur steep bills.

The stakes have never been higher. With Judge Barrett’s rushed confirmation and Mitch McConnell’s refusal to allow a vote on a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package, President Trump and Senate Republicans have made their message loud and clear: slashing health care is more important than helping Americans make it through the pandemic. We must do everything we can to provide relief to those struggling and stop this illegitimate process.

Fighting for Emergency Relief Now

President Trump and Senate Republicans have failed again and again to provide desperately needed pandemic relief to the American people. Despite contracting COVID-19 himself earlier this month – and receiving exclusive treatment that few in the world could get – the President continues to ignore the severity of this public health emergency and the resulting economic fallout. His gross indifference during this crisis has had dire consequences: over 224,000 Americans have died, over 12.6 million Americans are out of work, small businesses have been left to suffer, millions of Americans are facing eviction, and funding for expanded COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and PPE has dried up. This all comes as almost three quarters of our country faces an upward trend in coronavirus cases and as we marked a new daily COVID-19 case record last week.

Adding insult to injury, Senator McConnell recently chose to put forward the same wholly inadequate relief bill that Americans rejected a month ago. The McConnell bill is worse than weak. Not only is it missing key relief, but it also seeks to cynically exploit this crisis by giving tax cuts to millionaires, shortchanging schools with strong safety measures, and giving virtual immunity to reckless corporations. It’s an insult to families, workers, and businesses who continue to try and weather this storm.

The first HEROES Act passed the House over five months ago but the Senate GOP has refused to act on this robust relief to help Americans who are facing mounting bills. The House since passed a revised version but, that too, has been blocked in the Senate by Mitch McConnell and the GOP. It’s time for Senate Republicans to come back to the negotiating table – in good faith – and work with the rest of Congress to pass real relief now. We have a responsibility to deliver on this for the American people.

Protecting the Affordable Care Act

Responding to Emergencies in a Better Way

With Americans focused on the Supreme Court right now, I have been reflecting on the court building’s inscription that reads, “Equal Justice under the Law.” To attain equal justice we must reform our institutions to eliminate racially discriminatory practices and outcomes. This must be a shared priority for all of us. That’s why I’ve worked with community groups, Baltimore activists, and justice advocates to author new legislation to improve our emergency response capabilities by creating alternatives to police involvement in various situations, especially those encounters where a police response too often leads to unnecessary escalation and unjust killings. Too often police are required to respond to situations that they are neither trained nor equipped to resolve. And too often these situations end in tragedy. This legislation, the Community-Based Response Act, would create community-based systems that dispatch professionals trained in mental and behavioral health or crisis response for those many situations where an alternative to law enforcement is more effective. Building this capacity can both avoid unjust outcomes and provide individuals with the support they need. This legislation is a complement to the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and an important part of the urgent effort to make structural changes to address systemic racism and stop criminalizing poverty, substance use disorders, and mental health conditions. 

I was proud to introduce the Community-Based Response Act with Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass – and to have worked with so many Maryland and national civil rights and justice organizations to develop this proposal. The legislation has already picked up the support of a number of organizations, and was recently deemed a “priority” for Congress by the Washington Post Editorial Board. It’s past time for our country to step up and make changes.

This legislation is just one part of a much larger effort to build a more perfect union – an effort that involves every single American. I want to hear from you and hope you will continue to stay engaged.

          Chris Van Hollen

P.S. With Election Day just eight days away, every Marylander should have all the information they need to cast their ballot. In-person early voting will be held from October 26th through November 2nd at designated Maryland early voting centers. For those who are voting-by-mail in this election: mail-in ballots must be postmarked or placed in a designated Maryland Board of Elections drop box by 8pm on November 3, 2020. Don’t forget to make your plan to vote!