Sen. Van Hollen warns Howard County delegation of federal staff dismissals, court fights and budget threats

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen told the Howard County delegation on Feb. 12 that litigation and court orders are the first line of defense against what he described as unlawful federal actions affecting federal employees and appropriated funds.

Van Hollen said the practices he described have led to more than 60 legal cases and multiple temporary restraining orders. “The courts have been very active, and we've been working with those lawyers,” he said, adding that judges in multiple districts — including in Maryland — have issued orders that limit the administration's ability to withhold appropriated funds.

The Maryland Democrat said two categories of actions are central: freezes on already-appropriated domestic funds and dismissals of federal employees, particularly so-called probationary employees. “When the president by executive order put a freeze on effectively domestic funds that had already been appropriated…that's a violation of what we call the Impoundment Control Act,” he said, adding that…