WEBVTT >> M VA OF MARYLANDN HOLLEN.>> AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FORMARYLAND, AS THE 115TH CONGRESSGOT UNDERWAY.KATE: WITH RETIRING-SENATORBARBARA MIKULSKI ANDNOW-SENIOR-SENATOR BEN CARDINSTANDING IN SUPPORT, MARYLAND'S NEW U.S. SENATOR,CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, TOOK THE OATHOFFICE, SIGNED THE SENATELEDGER, AND GOT DOWN TO WORK.SENATOR VAN HOLLEN: I'M FOCUSEDON TRYING TO DO THE BEST JOB FORMARYLAND.WE'VE GOT LOTS OF INFRASTRUCTURENEEDS, FROM THE PORT OFBALTIMORE TO OTHER TRAFFICCONGESTION. IT'S AN AREA WHERE I HOPE WE CANFIND COMMON GROUND, AND MOVEFORWARD.I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED WE'RE NOTSTARTING WITH THAT CHALLENGE. KATE: BECAUSE THOUGH CONSIDEREDA KEY NEGOTIATOR AND FISCAL ANDTAX POLICY EXPERT IN HIS 7 TERMSIN THE HOUSE, THIS DEMOCRAT'STOP TASK IN HIS NEW JOB ONCAPTIOL HILL,PUSHING BACK ON THE NUMBER ONEGOP PRIORITYMR. TRUMP: YOUR TAXES ARE COMINGDOWN. REGULATIONS ARE COMINGOFF. WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OFOBAMACARE. SENATE, AND SOON, WHITE HOUSE ASWELL, FIRMLY FOCUSED ONREPEALING THE AFFORDABLE CAREACT.SENATOR MCCONNELL: THE OBAMACAREREPEAL RESOLUTION WILL BE THEFIRST ITEM UP. KATE: CONSIDERED AN EASY GET INA CONGRESS UNDER GOP CONTROL,BUT A MOVE OUR NEW SENATOR CALLSIRRESPONSIBLE.SENATOR VAN HOLLEN: IT WOULD BEVERY RECKLESS TO REPEAL THATWITH NO ALTERNATIVE BEING PUFORWARD, WHICH IS WHAT WE'REHEARING THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO.THAT WOULD BE REALLY BAD FOR THESTATE, AND IT WOULD BE BAD FORTHE COUNTRY.KATE: MARYLAND ALSO HAD TWO NEWHOUSE MEMBERS SWORN IN TODAY,DEMOCRATS ANTHONY BROWN ANDJAMIE RASKIN.BOTH REPS, LIKELY ON THE HILLWHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA VISITSTOMORROW, TO TALK TO FELLOWDEMOCRATS ABOUT DEFENDING THEAFFORDABLE CARE ACT.LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM, I'M KATE

The Democrat was sworn in with other members of the new Congress on Tuesday.

Advertisement

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.

With Mikulski and now senior Sen. Ben Cardin standing in support, Maryland's new senator, Chris Van Hollen, took the oath office Tuesday, signed the senate ledger and got down to work.

"I'm focused on trying to do the best job for Maryland. We've got lots of infrastructure needs from the Port of Baltimore to other traffic congestion," Van Hollen said. "It's an area where I hope we can find common ground and move forward. I'm very disappointed we're not starting with that challenge."

Though Van Hollen is considered a key negotiator, and fiscal and tax policy expert in his seven terms in the House, the Democrat's top task in his new job on Capitol Hill is pushing back on the No. 1 GOP priority.

The Republican-led House, Senate, and soon White House as well is firmly focused on repealing the Affordable Care Act.

"It would be very reckless to repeal that with no alternative being put forward, which is what we're hearing they're planning to do. That would be really bad for the state and it would be bad for the country," Van Hollen said.

Maryland also swore in two new House members 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 represents Maryland's 4th Congressional District.

Raskin, a Democrat, is a former state senator from Montgomery County. Raskin represents Maryland's 8th Congressional District.