Chris Van Hollen

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**FILE** Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat and ranking member on the House Budget Committee, speaks about the budget at the 2013 Fiscal Summit in Washington on May 7, 2013. (Associated Press)

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Rep. Chris Van Hollen said Wednesday that if the House speaker and others want to vote “no” on gun-control legislation, they are free to do so, “but do it in the light of day.” The Maryland Democrat added: “Don’t try and hide from the American people.” (Associated Press)

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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), second from right, whispers with Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), right, as House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), speaks at a press conference announcing leadership positions for the 113th Congress outside the 113th Congress democratic Caucus Organizational meeting in the cannon office building, Washington, D.C., Thursday, November 29, 2012. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (second from right) whispers to Rep. Chris Van Hollen (right) as Rep. Steny Hoyer, House minority whip, speaks at a press conference in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, to announce the House Democratic leadership for the 113th Congress. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., addresses the Democratic National Convention at the Time Warner Arena in Charlotte, N.C., on Wednesday, September 5, 2012. (Andrew Geraci/ The Washington Times)

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"This is a major action-forcing event. I'm not saying there will be a grand bargain during the lame-duck session but I would certainly hope that we reach some way to sort-of structure [or] at the very least create a process in which a credible balanced deficit reduction plan can be reached." - Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, top Democrat on the House Budget Committee. (Associated Press)

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** FILE ** Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat (The Washington Times)

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**FILE** Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the top Democrat on House Budget Committee, listens Sept. 8, 2011, as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the "supercommittee," holds its first organizational meeting on Capitol Hill. (Associated Press)

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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California listens Tuesday as fellow Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland discusses job creation. (Associated Press)

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"Like every American family, we must tighten our belts," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen. (Associated Press)

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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, accompanied by Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat, who is his party's ranking member on the House Budget Committee, gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday, April 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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The 2012 budget proposed by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, (left next to Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat) includes additional billions of dollars for defense but at a slower rate of growth. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)