700,000 Deaths: Van Hollen Leads Bid for Senate Leadership

Senator Chris Van Hollen announced on Thursday that he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer for the Democratic majority leader position. The Maryland Democrat framed his campaign around the administration’s recent restructuring of U.S. foreign aid programs. He stated in a Tuesday interview that the party needs new leadership to address the damage inflicted on global health initiatives.

Van Hollen currently serves as the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee. This role gives him oversight of the State Department and the remaining functions of the United States Agency for International Development. He believes his position provides significant influence over how Congress investigates and legislates foreign aid policy. He aims to use that influence to educate the public on the consequences of recent executive actions.

The senator highlighted a specific statistic in his push for change. He cited credible analyses indicating that more than 700,000 people died globally between January 2025 and January 2026 due to cuts to USAID. He argued that if these trends continue, millions more could die in the coming years. Van Hollen said his priority would be to conduct a full analysis of the harm caused by the administration.

During a hearing last year, Van Hollen told Secretary of State Marco Rubio that people died because of the administration's actions. He specifically mentioned mothers, fathers, and children among those affected. He pointed to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a case study. He stated there is good evidence that the outbreak could have been better contained if the United States had not made large cuts to public health funding.

Van Hollen recalled a scene at the White House in February 2025 where Elon Musk stood behind President Donald Trump. When a reporter asked about cuts to fighting Ebola, Musk responded that the administration missed it and claimed it was restored. Van Hollen said evidence suggests the funding was not adequately restored. He plans to use the power of the gavel to hold public hearings that spotlight these decisions.

The senator argued that the majority status offers new tools, specifically regarding the power of the purse. He noted that the administration has sat on funds appropriated by Congress for public health and international programs. He cited an example where the administration rescinded over $500 million in global health funds with the support of the previous Republican majority. He said Democrats would not have agreed to that cut.

Van Hollen also addressed the administration's use of approximately $1.5 billion in funds originally passed for global public health. He said the administration appears to be using those funds to wind down USAID rather than for health purposes. He stated that Democrats in the majority could block that usage. He emphasized the need to convert report language into real law to make funding safeguards legally binding.

The senator said he does not believe any part of the administration's global health policy is worth preserving. However, he is not in favor of simply returning to the status quo before the administration took office. He said the party needs to develop a plan for performing the important role USAID played in protecting American health and building international relations.