Press Releases & Statements
Cardin Commemorates Memorial Day 2018
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in recognition of Memorial Day 2018, which this year is celebrated on Monday, May 28. "Across our proud nation this Memorial Day weekend, we remember the men and women of our Armed Forces who made the greatest sacrifice imaginable. Whether it was on the battlefield of Antietam, the beaches of Normandy or in the mountains of Afghanistan, thousands of Americans h… Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Cardin Statement on the NFL’s New Policy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) issued the following statement in response to the National Football League's new policy on standing during the national anthem prior to games. "This country stands for the constitutional protections of the First Amendment - the right of freedom of speech. That's what this country is about. "I share the NFL players' concerns about civil rights in America, particularly as our president adds fuel to the fire every day through his inflammatory comments… Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Cardin, Van Hollen Support Improvements to Veterans’ Health Care
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) released the following statement regarding their support for the bipartisan VA Maintaining Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act today: "There are over 9 million veterans enrolled in the VA health care system who deserve access to world-class medical care. We need to keep our promises to these veterans and their families, which is why we supported the VA MISSION Act today. Like most majo… Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Cardin Response to the Trump Administration’s Domestic Gag Rule, Latest Attack on Women’s Health
BALTIMORE - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee, issued the following statement on the Health and Human Services notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) attacking the Title X Family Planning Program. "It is appalling to see the Trump Administration continue their relentless assault on women's health and wellbeing. Access to family planning services is one of the best tools we have to prevent abortions. President Trump fails to recognize that eve… Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Cardin Seeks to Improve Treatment for Opioid Abuse
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) has introduced two bills aimed at improving substance use treatment in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The first bill, S.2901, would allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive outdated restrictions on telehealth reimbursement for diagnosis and/or treatment of a opioid or other substance use disorder. The second bill, S. 2892, directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study state Medicaid programs that currently co… Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Cardin, Enzi to Pentagon: Speed Payments to Small Business Contractors
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, and U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today introduced bipartisan legislation to speed payments to small contractors doing business with the federal government. The bill directs the Departments of Defense to make every effort to pay small business prime contractors and large prime contractors with small business su… Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Cardin, Van Hollen Secure Victories for Marylanders as Water Infrastructure Bill Emerges Unanimously from Committee
Maryland senators spotlight new programs to strengthen stormwater, wastewater and drinking water treatment capabilities, help communities rebuild resilient infrastructure following flooding Bill also includes major support for Chesapeake Bay restoration priorities WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.), members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), together underscored the importance to Maryland communities of new legislation enablin… Continue Reading
May 21, 2018
Cardin, Van Hollen Announce Nearly $70 Million in Homeland Security Grants for Maryland and the National Capital Region
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) Monday announced $69,536,494 in emergency preparedness grants for the National Capital Region and Maryland from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In addition, Maryland jurisdictions were designated as eligible to apply for millions more through competitive grants aimed at protecting critical infrastructure, such as transit and ports, from terrorism. "Protecting Americans from harm is one of the most basic func… Continue Reading
May 21, 2018
Cardin Decries Illegitimate Venezuelan Election, Encourages US-led Regional Strategy to Restore Stability, Democracy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, released the following statement Monday following the Venezuelan election: "The illegitimate election Nicolas Maduro engineered over the weekend is the clearest sign yet that he lacks both the true will of the Venezuelan people and legitimacy in the international community. Under his brutal dictatorship, democratic governance, public health and safety, and the… Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Cardin, Van Hollen Join Bipartisan Group of Senators Urging Trump Administration to Combat Anti-Semitism, Appoint Special Envoy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) have joined a bipartisan group of more than three dozen senators urging President Donald Trump to appoint a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, a position at the U.S. Department of State that has now remained vacant for over 15 months. In a letter to President Trump, the senators emphasized the importance of the United States leading with action to combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad. "There has been an … Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Cardin, Van Hollen Announce over $360,000 in Funding to MD Environmental Efforts
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) have announced $369,400 in federal funding through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Maryland's Department of the Environment (MDE). The funding, obtained through the EPA's National Environmental Performance Partnership System, will support a wide range of ongoing environmental management efforts. Senators Cardin and Van Hollen fought for and secured funding for the EPA in the FY 2018 Omnibus, after the President… Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Cardin, Cassidy, Nelson Introduce Legislation to Increase Access to Opioid Treatment
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) today introduced the Comprehensive Opioid Management and Bundled Addiction Treatment (COMBAT) Act to increase access to opioid treatment programs and services for seniors on Medicare. The legislation would provide coverage and reimbursement in the form of a bundled payment for opioid treatment programs and services, including medication assisted treatment, counseling, behavioral and group therapy, … Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Maryland’s Senators and Congressmen Send Bipartisan Letter to Treasury and HHS in Support of State Waiver to Significantly Reduce Health Insurance Costs in Maryland
WASHINGTON - Maryland's bipartisan congressional delegation has written a joint letter to Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar in support of Maryland's waiver for a state reinsurance program, which was authorized by the Maryland General Assembly earlier this year. Reinsurance is a reimbursement system that protects insurers from very high claims by having a third party (the federal or state government) pay part of the insurance company's cl… Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Team Maryland Brings Federal Law Enforcement Leaders to Washington for Frank Discussion on Crime and Safety in Maryland
WASHINGTON - During the height of National Police Week, Team Maryland gathered as a bipartisan delegation Wednesday for a dialogue with federal law enforcement partners based in Maryland, including the newly confirmed U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur. Also joining the meeting were the Maryland Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with Mar… Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Cardin Statement on Haspel Nomination for CIA Director
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the nomination of Gina Haspel to be the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). "The Director of the CIA holds an incredible amount of sensitive information in their hands on a daily basis. As such, he or she must embrace the rule of law, transparency and accountability while striving to uphold the Constitution while keeping Americans safe. H… Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Cardin Urges House to Immediately Approve Senate-Passed Resolution to Keep Net Neutrality Rules
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, spoke from the floor of the Senate Wednesday prior to Senate votes to maintain net neutrality protections contained in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) 2015 Open Internet Order. Full video of his remarks can be downloaded here or viewed here. Excerpts follow. "Internet Service Providers are basically utility companies that provide internet service to our constit… Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Cardin, Cummings Lead Congress in Effort to Protect State and Local Witnesses from Violence and Intimidation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (both D-Md.) have reintroduced legislation that would direct the U.S. Attorney General to award competitive grants to protect witnesses in violent crimes. The Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act of 2018 (S. 2855/H.R. 5834) establishes a program geared to state and local governments to establish and maintain short-term witness protection programs in cases involving homicides, violent felonies, serious drug offenses, … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Cardin, Van Hollen Urge FCC to Expand Rural Health Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) have joined a bipartisan group of 30 U.S. Senators in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to increase the funding cap for a program aimed at improving the quality of health care available to patients in rural areas. In a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, the Senators highlight the need to strengthen the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program to address the shortage of broadband connectivity for rural health care prov… Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Cardin Again Warns Trump Administration Against Transfer of Small Arms Export Oversight from State to Commerce Depts.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the Trump Administration informed Congress it is moving ahead with a plan to transfer from the State to the Commerce Department, oversight of small arms and munitions exports. The new structure would undo the current policy of automatic Congressional review for sales over $1 million. A 45 day public comment period now commences before the policy is chang… Continue Reading
May 14, 2018
Cardin, Van Hollen Laud New Maryland Medicare Agreement
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) expressed their support for the agreement between the State of Maryland and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the future of Maryland's All-Payer Demonstration Model - Maryland's innovative approach to hospital payments. This has been a successful statewide effort that covers 800,000 Medicare beneficiaries and 6 million Marylanders. The agreement announced today will allow Maryland's work to con… Continue Reading
