Press Releases & Statements
Nomination Of Caitlin Joan Halligan To Be United States Circuit Judge For The District Of Columbia Circuit
Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I am taking this time on the floor to speak in support of the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to be U.S. Circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. I think my comments are at the right time, following Senator Alexander's comments about the difficulty we have had in the past confirming judicial nominees and the use of the filibuster that blocked the consideration of Presidential nominees. Senator Alexander pointed with pri… Continue Reading
March 04, 2013
Cardin Urges EPA Nominee To Continue Focus On Science To Protect Public Health
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 in response to President Obama's choice of 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 the confirmation hearings for Gina McCarthy to be the next administrator of t… Continue Reading
March 04, 2013
Cardin Holds Roundtable Discussion With Anne Arundel Co. & Fort Meade-Area Businesses On The Effects Of Sequestration
HANOVER, MD -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today hosted a roundtable discussion for Anne Arundel County and Ft. Meade-area businesses to talk about sequestration. Many businesses in Maryland depend on the federal government for contracts. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has estimated that sequestration could result in cuts to procurement budgets of more than $49 billion over 10 years. Such cuts could result in a loss of more than 282,400 jobs nationwide among suppliers and vendors who… Continue Reading
March 01, 2013
Cardin, Cummings, Sarbanes & Delaney Hold Press Conference At BWI Airport To Talk About Impact Of Sequestration On Air Travel And Regional Economy
BALTIMORE, MD -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), U.S. Congressmen Elijah Cummings (MD-7), John Sarbanes (MD-3) and John Delaney (MD-6) today joined Maryland aviation officials at a press conference at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to discuss the impact of sequestration and what it will mean to air travelers, federal employees who work at the airport and the regional economy. In 2012, BWI Marshall set an all-time record of 22.68 million passengers and 246.4 millio… Continue Reading
February 26, 2013
Cardin Statement On Hagel Confirmation
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after voting to confirm former Senator Chuck Hagel as the next Secretary of Defense. "President Obama, like every other president, should have the opportunity to seek counsel from advisors he deems appropriate. However, I believe that the responsibility of Advice and Consent is an important Constitutional duty not to be taken lightly. When the nominee in… Continue Reading
February 25, 2013
Sequestration: Cardin Holds Roundtable Discussion About What It Will Mean For Maryland’s Small Businesses
LARGO, MD -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today hosted a roundtable discussion at the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to talk with leaders of Maryland's small business community about what sequestration will mean for Maryland. Many small businesses in Maryland depend on the federal government for contracts and other businesses. On March 1, sequestration - automatic, across-the-board spending cuts - will begin to take effect. Unless Congress acts, sequestration … Continue Reading
February 25, 2013
Cardin, Mikulski, Maryland House Delegation Urge the House to Take Action to Avert Sequestration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Barbara A. Mikulski(D-MD), along with Representatives Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5), 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 the House to take action to prevent sequestration: "With less than a week until sequestration is set to take effect, we are calling on the House to take immediate action to preve… Continue Reading
February 25, 2013
Cardin Discusses Upcoming Sequestration With Federal Workers At Social Security Administration Town Hall Meeting
WOODLAWN, MD -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today held a town hall with employees at the Social Security Administration (SSA) headquarters in Baltimore County. The visit continues the Senator's periodic visits to federal facilities to discuss the looming threat of sequestration and the latest federal budget battles with federal workers. The SSA headquarters complex employs more than 12,000 federal workers who administer Social Security, a social in… Continue Reading
February 23, 2013
Cardin, Mikulski, Cummings Protest New HHS Rule On Children’s Dental Benefits
Washington DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), along with Congressman Elijah Cummings (MD-7), are urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reconsider its just-released final rule on the children's dental care provisions in the Essential Health Benefits Package to be offered in health exchanges, starting in 2014. Just days before the six-year anniversary of the tragic death of 12-year-old Marylander Deamonte Driver, who lost his life after a tooth infectio… Continue Reading
February 21, 2013
MD Senators Announce $3.7 Million NSF Grant To Establish Science And Innovation Entrepreneur Program At University Of Maryland College Park
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced that the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) has been awarded a $3,749,804 grant over three years from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish an Innovation Corps (I-Corps) entrepreneurship program in the National Capital Region and turn science and innovation discoveries in the laboratory into practical consumer products in the marketplace. The project implements a partnership between U… Continue Reading
February 15, 2013
Cardin Introduces “National Blue Alert” Bill To Help Apprehend Criminals Who Seriously Injure Or Kill Law Enforcement Officers
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) has introduced the National Blue Alert Act, S. 357, to create a nationwide alert system to apprehend violent criminals who have seriously injured or killed police officers. The nationwide alert system would be used to disseminate critical information about the suspect to law enforcement agencies, the public and the media. In June 2010, Maryland State Trooper Wesley Brown was murdered outside a restaurant in Forestville, MD. At that time, Gov. Mart… Continue Reading
February 15, 2013
Cardin Praises Start Of New Study To Identify Best Treatments For Military Depression And PTSD
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), who in 2009 first introduced legislation to study the increased use of antidepressants among our combat troops and what impact these drugs may be having on the mental health of our troops, today lauded the start of a new multi-site clinical trial utilizing PEER interactive that will finally help determine if DOD is prescribing anti-depressants to its service members appropriately and what is the best form of treatment for Depression, Post-Traumati… Continue Reading
February 15, 2013
Senators Cardin And Collins Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Repeal Medicare Therapy Caps
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have re-introduced legislation to protect Medicare beneficiaries from arbitrary limits on outpatient therapy services that are often needed to recover from debilitating illnesses, such as stroke, and that are important to the effective management of conditions such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis. The Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act, S.367, would permanently repeal the $1,900 therapy "caps" imposed on phy… Continue Reading
February 14, 2013
Cardin To Chair East Asia And Pacific Affairs Subcommittee, Lead U.S. Helsinki Commission
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senator Foreign Relations Committee, has been named the Chairman of the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee. He takes over this position from retired Senator Jim Webb. In addition, at the start of the 113th Congress, Senator Cardin was appointed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to resume leadership of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission). Rotating between the House and … Continue Reading
February 14, 2013
Cardin, Mikulski Announce Federal Funding For Tuition Assistance For Volunteer Firefighters In Prince George’s County
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced that the Morningside Volunteer Fire Department and the Chillum-Adelphi Volunteer Fire Department won $446,245 and $103,500, respectively, in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) program to provide tuition assistance for volunteer firefighters. As Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Mikulski figh… Continue Reading
February 13, 2013
Cardin Urges Lew To Help Small Businesses Gain Access To Capital, Once Confirmed As Treasury Secretary
Washington, DC - During today's confirmation hearing for Jack Lew to be the next Treasury Secretary, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, encouraged the nominee to help qualified small businesses gain access to capital they so urgently need to build and grow. "Jack Lew demonstrated to the Finance Committee today that he has a firm grasp of the fiscal challenges facing American families and our nation, and that he has the experience that he can draw upon … Continue Reading
February 12, 2013
Cardin Calls On House To Quickly Send VAWA To The President To Be Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) praised Senate passage of a reauthorization the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a long-standing law to stop violence against women and extend protections to other groups. Senator Cardin is a cosponsor of S. 47 and has cosponsored previous versions of the bill considered by the Senate. It was approved today by a vote of 78-22 and now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. Click here to download video of Senator Cardin's floor statem… Continue Reading
February 12, 2013
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization
Madam President, I take this time because I think it is important people recognize that what we do has such an important impact on local law enforcement and on local agencies. Last year I hosted a roundtable discussion in Prince George's County, MD, to discuss the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, known as VAWA. This roundtable brought together victims, social service agencies, law enforcement, clergy, and others on the frontline of providing support and protection … Continue Reading
February 08, 2013
Cardin Addresses The Baltimore Council On Foreign Affairs About The Sergei Magnitsky Law And America’s Role In Promoting Human Rights In The World
BALTIMORE -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yesterday evening addressed the Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs about the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act and the importance of promoting human rights around the world. The title of the Senator's speech was: Magnitsky: Reaffirming America's Leadership on Human Rights. The Magnitsky bill, which was introduced by Senator Cardin in 2011,… Continue Reading
February 06, 2013
Cardin, Mikulski Announce $8.6 Million In Federal Community Development Block Grant Funding For Lower Shore Recovery From Sandy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski, Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee(both D-Md.) today announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will award $8.6 million in federal funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to Maryland communities struggling to recover from Super-Storm Sandy. These funds were included in the Super-Storm Sandy Supplemental Appropriations bill which passed the Senate last month to help… Continue Reading
