Cardin Introduces Joint Resolution To Allow More Time For States To Ratify The Equal Rights Amendment

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), today introduced a joint resolution to remove the deadline for the states' ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Carl Levin (D-MI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Christopher … Continue Reading

Floor Statement On Introduction Of Joint Resolution For Removal Of Ratification Deadline For Equal Rights Amendment

Mr. President, as we prepare to celebrate Mother's Day this Sunday, today I am introducing a joint resolution which would remove the deadline for the states' ratification of the equal rights amendment, ERA. I thank Senators Kirk, Mikulski, Murkowski, Harkin, Sanders, Levin, Menendez, Stabenow, Heinrich, Boxer, Gillibrand, Durbin, Lautenberg, Murphy, Baldwin, Landrieu, Brown, and Begich for joining me as original cosponsors. When Congress passed the ERA in 1972, it provided that the … Continue Reading

Maryland Senators Announce Almost $1.7 Million For Maryland Community Health Centers To Increase Access To Health Care

Funds will boost community health centers' ability to care for additional patients and create jobs WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) along with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced new funds to help more uninsured Marylanders enroll in affordable health insurance coverage made available by the Affordable Care Act. In Maryland an estimated $1,693,076 is available to support 16 community health centers' ability to hire s… Continue Reading

Cardin Praises The Resilience Of South Korea And Our 60-Year Alliance

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, welcomed South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye to Washington. Tuesday, Senator Cardin introduced a bipartisan resolution commemorating the 60th anniversary of the US-Republic of Korea (ROK) Alliance and congratulating President Park on her historic election as Korea's first woman president. "President Park is a testament to her nation's resilience. Lik… Continue Reading

Cardin Statement On The Latest Stalling Of Tom Perez Nomination To Be Labor Secretary

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) called on Republicans to allow the nomination process to continue in a fair and open manner, following yet another delay of a committee vote on the nomination of Marylander Thomas "Tom" Perez today in the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee. "Tom Perez is a decent and hardworking public servant. I have known Tom for years, from his time as head of the Montgomery County Council to his current position as Assistant Attorney … Continue Reading

Cardin Calls Senate Passage Of Marketplace Fairness Act A Win For Maryland Businesses And Taxpayers

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Small Business Committee and a cosponsor of the Marketplace Fairness Act, lauded Senate passage today of the legislation that will level the playing field for brick-and-mortar small businesses and collect hundreds of millions of dollars of uncollected sales tax for the state of Maryland. The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 would give states the option to require the collection of sales and use taxes already owed under Sta… Continue Reading

Statement By Senator Cardin On Visit By Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America

BALTIMORE - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today issued the following statement after the Maryland Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America visited his state office to thank him for his support of gun control legislation. "Last month the Senate failed to pass, bipartisan, commonsense gun control that 90% of Americans favored. Today, I met with members of the Maryland Chapter of Moms Demand Action on Gun Sense in America. I stand with them in continuing to call for passage of gu… Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Announce Federal Funding To Purchase Life-Saving Ems Equipment In Queen Anne’s County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded $44,672 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The award will be used to purchase emergency medical services equipment. "Our first responders need the right resources at the ready to protect them as they protect the public during natural disasters or man-made crises.… Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Announce Federal Funding To Purchase Life-Saving Firefighting Equipment In Wicomico County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced the Salisbury Fire Department has been awarded $187,389 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The West Side Volunteer Fire Department also received an AFG award for $60,805. Both awards will be used to purchase life-saving firefighting equipment. "Our first responders need the right resources at the ready to protect them a… Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Announce Federal Funding To Purchase Fire Prevention Equipment In Prince George’s County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced the Volunteer Fire Company #1 of Capitol Heights, MD has been awarded $139,419 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grants, a part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program (AFG). The award will be used to purchase smoke detectors for families in Capitol Heights. "Our first responders need the right resources at the ready to… Continue Reading

Service Academy Appointments

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), today announced that 15 Marylanders have accepted appointments to the U.S. Service Academies for the 2013-2014 academic year. The five U.S. service academies -- the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy -- recruit top-notch young American men and women who will appreciate an excellent education and a chance to serve their country. "Every year, it is m… Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Praise Administration For Ending ATC Furloughs And Keeping 149 Contract Towers Open

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) today praised the Obama Administration for keeping all of the 149 federal air traffic control contract towers (ATC) in the country open. This includes the five federal ATC contract towers in Maryland located in Easton, Frederick, Hagerstown, Martin and Salisbury-Ocean City. The announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) comes after passage of legislation by Congress giving the U.S. Department of Trans… Continue Reading

Cardin Kicks Off “Made In Maryland” Tour; Holds Roundtable Discussion With Eastern Shore Economic Development Officials

WYE MILLS, MD -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, today visited the Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitar Factory in Stevensville to kick off his "Made in Maryland" tour highlighting the importance of manufacturing in Maryland in job creation and in future economic growth. The PRS Guitar Factory makes high-end guitars favored by some of the most prominent musicians in the world, including guitar great Carlos Santana. The company was foun… Continue Reading

Cardin Hails Passage Of Bill To End Air Traffic Controller Furloughs

Washington, DC -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, praised Senate action late Thursday to alleviate the furloughs of air traffic controllers due to sequestration. The House of Representatives approved the measure on Friday. "Getting our air traffic controllers back on the job is the right thing to do. The reverberations of flight delays throughout our economy have been harmful. We've found a fix for this one problem, but it's time for us to take broade… Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Announce Federal Funding To Purchase Life-Saving Firefighting Equipment In Kent County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced the Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company has been awarded $222,300 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The Betterton Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. also received an AFG award for $147,440. Both awards will be used to purchase life-saving firefighting equipment. As the Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Mikulski fi… Continue Reading

Cardin , Mikulski Announce Federal Funding For Emergency Equipment And Training For Firefighters In Howard County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Ben Cardin and Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced the Howard County Department of Fire Rescue Services has been awarded $544,060 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program for emergency firefighting equipment and a MayDay training program. As the Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Mikulski fights each year to increase federal funding for the fire grants program. Se… Continue Reading

Cardin Statement On South East Asian New Year’s Festivals

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations released the following statement "As Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, I want to wish a Happy New Year to our Southeast Asian friends celebrating their New Year's festivals from April 13-16. These Buddhist New Year's festivals mark a time of renewal and cleansing, of respect to elders and a celebration of life. "To our Thai friends I wish Suk san wan son… Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Introduce Bill To Study Possible Transfer Of President Street Station To National Park Service

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) have re-introduced legislation (S. 770) to help ensure the future of Baltimore's historic President Street Station by studying the possibility of transferring it to the National Park Service (NPS). Located on President Street in downtown Baltimore, the President Street Station was completed in 1850 and is considered an architectural and historic gem. The President Street Station played a crucial role in the Civil War, t… Continue Reading

Cardin Praises Civil Rights Work Of Marylander Tom Perez At His Nomination Hearing To Be Labor Secretary

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced fellow Marylander Thomas "Tom" Perez today before the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee during his confirmation hearing to become the next Secretary of Labor. "Tom Perez has made his home state of Maryland proud as an aggressive champion for justice and the public good his entire career at the federal, state and local levels of government. In his current position as Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights … Continue Reading

Cardin Thanks Sergei Magnitsky’s Family For Their Sacrifice

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, met at the U.S. Capitol with the family of the late Sergei Magnitsky who died in a Russian prison. Natalya Magnitskaya (mother of Sergei Magnitsky), Natasha Magnitskaya (widow of Sergei Magnitsky) and Nikita Magnitsky (son of Sergei Magnitsky) are visiting the U.S. for the first time just one week after the Administration released the first list… Continue Reading