WASHINGTON (AP) - Chris Van Hollen was sworn in Tuesday as Maryland's new U.S. senator.
The Democrat was sworn in with other members of the new Congress.
Van Hollen, who served seven terms in the House, won the seat that opened from the departure of Barbara Mikulski, who retired after serving 30 years in the Senate.
“Today I took an oath to the serve our great nation and the values of freedom, justice, and opportunity so beautifully articulated in the Constitution. I am humbled by the confidence the people of Maryland have placed in me, and I am ready to get to work to tackle our many pressing challenges," Van Hollen said in a statement.
Van Hollen said he has introduced the CEO-Employee Paycheck Fairness Act, which would ban companies from getting a tax write-off for CEO bonuses without also giving a raise to their rank-and-file employees.
“I will fight every day to advance the interests of Marylanders in the U.S. Senate. I am committed to providing the best possible constituent services and making sure we’re living up to our promises to our seniors and veterans," Van Hollen said. “This moment in history calls for vigilance, engagement, and mobilization for people in our state and across the country. I will work tirelessly with all those committed to move Maryland and the nation forward.”
Maryland also will have two new House members who were sworn in in on Tuesday. They are Anthony Brown and Jamie Raskin.
Brown, a Democrat, is a former lieutenant governor during then-Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration from 2007 to 2015. He will represent Maryland's 4th Congressional District.
Raskin, a Democrat, is a former state senator from Montgomery County. Raskin represents Maryland's 8th Congressional District.
