Press Releases & Statements
Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change Welcomes New Co-Chairs
WASHINGTON, DC- Today the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change welcomed two new House co-chairs - Rep. Bobby L. Rush and Rep. Earl Blumenauer - and the transition of Sen. Ed Markey to his new capacity as a Senate co-chair. "Senator Markey was an invaluable leader on climate change in the House and he brings a unique combination of expertise and drive to our efforts in the Senate. With the addition of Congressmen Rush and Blumenauer, the Bicameral Task Force is in its strongest position… Continue Reading
July 25, 2013
Cardin Troubled By Deteriorating Security And Humanitarian Crisis In South Sudan
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, and Senate Chair of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, released the following statement on the recent political crisis, violence and escalating humanitarian emergency in South Sudan: "I am deeply troubled by recent reports on the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the Jonglei State in South Sudan. Reports indicate that there are over 100,000 internally displac… Continue Reading
July 25, 2013
Cardin Calls Student Loan “Compromise” A Short-Term Answer To A Long-Term Problem
Washington, DC -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, made the following remarks after Senate passage of H.R. 1911, the Student Loan Act. Senator Cardin voted against the bill, considering the current 6.8 percent fixed interest rate to be better for Maryland students than the terms included in the bill. "The federal government should not be making a profit off student loans. College is already too expensive. It is short-sighted to do anything that woul… Continue Reading
July 23, 2013
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Nomination Hearing for EAP Region
Today we are pleased to welcome nominees for Ambassadors to three Asia- Pacific countries: Mr. John Berry, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to Australia; Mr. Dan Clune, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to Laos; and Mr. Joseph Yun, of Oregon, to be Ambassador to Malaysia. We also welcome your friends and families, and understand that the families of our diplomats around the world make tremendous sacrifices every day for our country. So, I want to thank and congratulate them-and all of you- for agreein… Continue Reading
July 19, 2013
Cardin’s “Made In Maryland” Tour Visits Heavy Seas Brewery Where Jobs Are On Tap For Baltimore
Baltimore, MD - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance and Small Business committees, toured the Heavy Seas Brewery in Baltimore, MD, today as part of his 'Made in Maryland' tour of companies that are supporting quality jobs for Marylanders. Senator Cardin's history with Heavy Seas goes back to its first days as Clipper City Brewing Company, helping founder Hugh Sisson tap some of the first barrels in 1996. During his visit Friday, Senator Cardin used the opportunity to d… Continue Reading
July 18, 2013
Cardin Praises Confirmation Of Gina McCarthy As The New Administrator Of The Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and chairman of its Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm Gina McCarthy to succeed Lisa Jackson as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. "As a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I look forward to working with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy as she works to make our country healthi… Continue Reading
July 18, 2013
Cardin Lauds Confirmation Of Marylander Tom Perez As U.S. Labor Secretary
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) praised the Senate confirmation of Thomas "Tom" Perez today. Perez is a former Secretary of Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and a former advisor to Senator Edward Kennedy. He has been serving in the Obama Administration as Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. He also previously was President of the Montgomery County Council. "Tom Perez is a decent and hardworking public… Continue Reading
July 18, 2013
Cardin, McCain Respond To Navalny Verdict
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, along with Senator John McCain (R-AZ), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and sponsors of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, responded swiftly to news that a Russian court has sentenced activist, blogger and opposition candidate for mayor of Moscow, Alexei Navalny to five years in prison. "Today's political conviction of Alexei Navalny continues … Continue Reading
July 17, 2013
Cardin Impressed With Samantha Power Experience And Support For U.S. Leadership On Human Rights
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called President Obama's choice of Samantha Power to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations a positive choice for our nation and principled American leadership around the world. If confirmed, Ms. Powers would succeed Ambassador Susan Rice, who now serves as the President's National Security Advisor. In advance of today's committee hearing, Senator Cardin met with Samantha Powe… Continue Reading
July 17, 2013
Cardin, Mikulski Announce $910,828 To Extend Frederick Municipal Airport Runway
Frederick, MD -- U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both D-MD) today announced that the City of Frederick has received a $910,828 Federal Aviation Administration grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) to support plans to extend the airport's primary runway. "Frederick Municipal Airport is a hub for economic development and job creation across the region and I am proud that we can continue to deliver federal grants like this one that will support the City of … Continue Reading
July 17, 2013
Cardin Calls Cordray Confirmation A Long-Awaited Victory For American Consumers
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance and Small Business Committees, praised the long-awaited Senate confirmation today of Richard Cordray to be the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Three years ago, Congress created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an independent agency focused on protecting consumers - like military families, students, and older Americans - from abusive financial practices. "American consumers de… Continue Reading
July 16, 2013
Cardin Lauds FDA Commitment To Promoting Health Equity
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) praised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its latest initiative to help eliminate health disparities. As a result of a Cardin Amendment to the 2012 FDA Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA), the FDA has released a comprehensive communication plan designed to ensure that physicians and patients are made aware of information identifying particular subpopulations that may experience adverse effects to drugs, biologicals or devices on the … Continue Reading
July 15, 2013
Cardin Statement on Zimmerman Acquittal
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) issued the following statement in response to a Florida jury finding George Zimmerman not guilty of all charges in the death of teenager Trayvon Martin: "The fact that an unarmed Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman was never in dispute. How and why this young man was shot to death, was left for a jury to determine. Many of us may not agree with the verdict, but we should abide by the wishes of Trayvon's grieving parents and not allow … Continue Reading
July 11, 2013
Cardin, Mikulski Colleagues Urge Investigation Of Allegations That “Debt Relief” Firms Are Exploiting Students
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben and Cardin Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today joined with 21 of their Senate colleagues to call on federal officials to investigate allegations that so-called "debt relief" companies have been using deceptive practices to profit from students seeking assistance in repaying their college loans. The federal government provides tools to help students manage their college loans free of charge, but a new National Consumer Law Center report revealed that private … Continue Reading
July 11, 2013
Cardin, Mikulski, Hoyer, Members of Maryland House Delegation Urge Congress to Replace Sequestration, End Furloughs
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD), and Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5), Representatives Elijah E. Cummings (MD-7), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2), Chris Van Hollen (MD-8), John Sarbanes (MD-3), Donna F. Edwards (MD-4), and John Delaney (MD-6) released the following statement urging Congress to replace the sequester with a balanced alternative to deficit reduction after civilian defense employee furloughs began this week: "Beginning this week, hundreds of thous… Continue Reading
July 11, 2013
Cardin Statement On Russia’s Posthumous Conviction Of Sergei Magnitsky
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to a Russian court finding deceased whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky guilty of tax evasion. Senator Cardin is the author of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act that was signed into law in conjunction with Permanent Normal Trade Relations for Russia. "Russia continues to do damage to itself w… Continue Reading
July 10, 2013
Cardin Urges Senate To Continue Push To Return Student Loan Rates To 3.4 Percent
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, a member of the Senate Finance Committee and a cosponsor of the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013 (S. 1238), responded quickly to the Senate's failure to garner sufficient votes to proceed to consider the bill. His full remarks on the Senate floor regarding the increase in student loan interest rates can be viewed here or downloaded here. "I am deeply disappointed that the some members of the Senate continue to play politics with student loa… Continue Reading
July 10, 2013
Cardin, Rubio Introduce Bill To Increase Transparency Of Foreign Aid
Washington, DC - US Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) today introduced the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2013, a bill that requires regular evaluations of foreign assistance programs to be made publicly available to the American people. Companion legislation is also being introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Ted Poe (R-TX) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA). "Thanks to the generosity of the American people, our foreign aid dollars have sa… Continue Reading
July 10, 2013
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin On The District Court Ruling On The Cardin –Lugar, Section 1504 Transparency Law
Mr. President, I take this time to speak on the floor of the United States Senate to express my disappointment in last week's District Court decision on the Cardin-Lugar SEC rule. An amendment offered by Senator Lugar and I on the Dodd-Frank legislation imposed certain transparencies on extractive industries. It was a pretty simple provision-it said that those companies that are registered with the SEC that are involved in the extraction of minerals would be required to disclose on a project-by-… Continue Reading
July 10, 2013
Statement From Senators Cardin And Rubio On The Opening Of The Fifth Us-China Strategic And Economic Dialogue
Washington, DC - US Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, issued the following statement today regarding the opening of the Fifth US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington: "We welcome the Chinese delegates to the Fifth Strategic and Economic Dialogue to Washington. The relationship between the United States and China will affect the l… Continue Reading
