Press Releases & Statements
Before Final Senate Vote, Cardin, Wyden, Carper Call on Trump Administration to Pledge Cooperation with Congressional Oversight of USMCA Environmental Provisions
WASHINGTON - In advance of Senate approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA), U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) have written to United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer urging robust implementation and enforcement of the environmental provisions included in the agreement. Senator Cardin is a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works, Senate Finance and Senate Foreign Relations committees. Senator Wyden is Ranki… Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Cardin, Murkowski Encourage States to Complete Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) released the following joint statement in response to the recent opinion by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on the ongoing efforts in Congress and the states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Senators Cardin and Murkowski are the lead sponsors of S.J.Res 6, which would remove the deadline for ratification of the ERA. "We disagree with the Justice Department's opinion that states can no … Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Cardin, Senate Democrats Support Puerto Rico’s Request For A Major Disaster Declaration To Respond To Earthquakes
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) joined his 34 of his Senate Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to President Donald Trump expressing strong support of Puerto Rico's request for a major disaster declaration for the widespread damage caused by the powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake on January 7, and the hundreds of preceding and subsequent aftershocks which struck the island starting late on December 28. Senator Cardin was joined on the letter by Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N… Continue Reading
January 12, 2020
Cardin Commemorates the 10th Anniversary of Haiti’s Devastating Earthquake
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Issues, released the following statement for the 10th anniversary of the January 12, 2010 earthquake that killed nearly 250,000 people, injured over 300,000 and displaced more than 1.5 million. "Ten years later, the enormous loss of life in Haiti after the massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake and its more than 50 aftershocks remains unfathomable. Man-made factors complicat… Continue Reading
January 10, 2020
Cardin, Van Hollen, Bay Members Press EPA on Enforcement of TMDL Pollution Reduction Targets
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen signed a bicameral letter with 18 of their congressional colleagues to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging the EPA to clarify its position on the enforcement of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) pollution reduction targets. The Members write, "We were deeply disturbed by reports that, at the January 3, 2020 meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, EPA Chesapeak… Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Cardin Lauds Senate Passage of Key Chesapeake Bay Legislation, Including Historic Funding Authorization
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, praised unanimous passage by the full Senate late Thursday of five proposals he authored or cosponsored that will benefit the Chesapeake Bay watershed and Maryland's wildlife and fish habitats. Foremost among the legislation was a Cardin-authored provision with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) increasing the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization to a historic $92 million. The bil… Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Senator Cardin, Colleagues Introduce Comprehensive Legislation To Address Youth Tobacco Crisis
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) joined his Democratic colleagues to introduce the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2020, comprehensive legislation to stop tobacco companies from targeting youth with marketing schemes, and to curb the rise in the use of tobacco and e-cigarette products among youth. The legislation is sponsored by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R. I.), Ed Markey (D- Mass.), Dick Durbin… Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Cardin Decries the Administration’s Proposal to Dismiss Community Input in Local Infrastructure Projects
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement condemning the Trump White House Council on Environmental Quality's proposal to degrade key features of the National Environmental Policy Act, announced today. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), last year was the fifth consecutive year with more than 10 events causing $1 billion in damage. "Decimating protections for … Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Cardin Floor Statement in Support of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement
Watch Senator Cardin's remarks above and at this link. "Shortly, we will be considering the United States Mexico Canadian Agreement, the USMCA. It updates and replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA. I support the USMCA and supported it earlier this week where it passed the Senate Finance Committee on a strong 25 to 3 vote. This strong vote was possible because of the hard work of Democrats in the House and Senate to make this agreement the strongest fully enforceable, pro-envir… Continue Reading
January 08, 2020
Cardin: De-escalation and Diplomacy Are in Our National Security Interest
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a co-author of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, issued the following statement on President Donald Trump's speech to the nation regarding Iran. "The president's words today provide an opening toward de-escalation of the dangerous back-and-forth with Iran. Unfortunately, it has been President Trump's actions over the last three years that put us in the current precarious state. My ho… Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Cardin, Trone Introduce Bicameral “TRUE EQUITY Act” to Strengthen Federal-State-Local Educational Partnerships
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (both D-Md.) announced legislation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that would provide an additional $1.4 billion in federal grant funding for states and local communities that commit to transformative policy changes and allocated significant additional resources to address education inequities. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined as a cosponsor in the Senate and Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) as a cosponsor in… Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Cardin, Rubio, Kaine, Risch and Cruz Welcome Swearing-In of Juan Guaido as President of the Venezuelan National Assembly
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), along with Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) issued the following joint statement in support of Juan Guaidó's re-election as President of the Venezuelan National Assembly and as Interim President of Venezuela: "This week, the international community once again witnessed the criminality of dictator Nicolás Maduro's regime and the lengths he is willing to go in order to maintain… Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Cardin Statement on Confirmation of Jovita Carranza to Lead SBA
WASHINGTON-Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted 88-5 to confirm U.S. Treasurer Jovita Carranza as the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): "Opening a business is one of the most rewarding endeavors a person can undertake, but it is also one of the most difficult, especially for entrepreneurs from underserved communities. As more women, minorities, vet… Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Cardin Responds to Iran Missile Attack on U.S. Forces in Iraq
WASHINGTON - U.S Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) released the following statement in response to Iranian authorized missile strikes targeting U.S. forces in bases in Iraq. The attacks were issued in retaliation for the Trump-ordered killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani last week. "The enmity between the US and Iran is becoming more dangerous by the minute. In the wake of the reported attacks on US forces in Iraq, President Trump must ensure any response minimizes the risk of further escalatio… Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Cardin Announces Support for US-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D- Md.), a senior member of the Senate committees on Finance, Foreign Relations and Environment & Public Works, as well as Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Tuesday announced his support for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is intended to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The Senate Finance Committee will consider the USMCA today and Senate consideration is expe… Continue Reading
January 03, 2020
Cardin Responds to Killing of Iranian General
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a co-author of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, issued the following statement on the news that the Pentagon, on orders from President Donald Trump, has killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Senator Cardin has cosponsored legislation that would prohibit war with Iran unless authorized by Congress. "President Trump's decision to kill Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad is a provocative ac… Continue Reading
December 21, 2019
Cardin, Van Hollen Laud Federal Investments for Maryland’s Eastern Shore Priorities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), announced that funding for the following programs were included in the Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bills, which were passed by Congress this week and signed into law by the president Friday. They include significant priorities for Eastern Shore communities. "Federal investment in the Eastern Shore is changing people's lives for the better, while driving economic development and ensuring that our infrastructure and resources… Continue Reading
December 21, 2019
Cardin, Van Hollen Announce Western Maryland Funding Priorities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), both members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), issued the following statement on the two spending bills passed by Congress for Fiscal Year 2020 that will provide significant federal assistance for Western Maryland. Infrastructure/Training & Development "Federal investment in rural Maryland has been making a tremendous difference in people's lives and the economic foundations for the region," said … Continue Reading
December 20, 2019
Cardin Calls FY2020 Appropriations a Win for Federal Workers and Federal Agencies in Maryland
"There is no such thing as a good government shutdown, so it is a great relief for Maryland, federal workers and the entire nation that Congress has now passed full-year spending bills for Fiscal Year 2020." WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) lauded key provisions in the final FY 2020 appropriations package that improve compensation and working conditions for federal employees and enable critical maintenance projects at federal facilities in Maryland. "There are more than 2 million… Continue Reading
December 20, 2019
Cardin, Blunt Secure New Markets Tax Credit Extension
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) announced the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program has been extended for one year with a $1.5 billion allocation increase, bringing the total authorization to $5 billion for FY2020, in legislation headed to the president's desk. The NMTC program promotes investments in underserved communities by providing a 39 percent federal tax credit over seven years for businesses or economic development projects in areas with povert… Continue Reading
