Cardin Leads Bipartisan Effort To Protect Life-Saving Treatments For End-Stage Renal Disease

Washington, DC - A bipartisan group of senators, led by Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Michael Crapo (R-ID), are urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) not to endanger the lifesaving treatments of Americans undergoing treatment for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) by essentially gutting a crucial service for vulnerable beneficiaries. "These are real people living with a very difficult disease. We want patients to concentrate on their treatments and improving the quality of their … Continue Reading

Cardin Says Bipartisan Comprehensive Immigration Reform Is Possible

Hyattsville, MD - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) met today with community leaders from across Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland for a roundtable on immigration reform. Hosted by CASA de Maryland, the roundtable discussion provided an opportunity for Senator Cardin to hear from key stakeholders in the immigration debate and to share the latest proposals coming from Washington. The event follows the first week of deliberation by the Senate Judiciary Committee of comprehensive imm… Continue Reading

Cardin, Boozman Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Promote Water Research And Train Scientists

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and John Boozman (R-AR), Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, have introduced a bill to reauthorize federal grant funding for water resources research institutes in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Water Resources Research Act (WRRA) will provide continued support for important research on state and regi… Continue Reading

Cardin, Enzi Introduce A Bill To End Use-It-Or-Lose-It For Medical Savings Accounts

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Mike Enzi (R-WY), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, have introduced legislation that keeps a worker's unspent funds from a flexible spending account in their own pocket. The Medical FSA Improvement Act of 2013 (S. 966) would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow employees who use health flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) to cash out any remaining balance in their account at the end of a plan year. This provision replaces cur… Continue Reading

Cardin Holds Faith-Based Summit For Baltimore-Area Religious Leaders

BALTIMORE-- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today sponsored a Faith-based Summit for more than 100 Baltimore area faith-based religious leaders at Morgan State University to discuss job opportunities and economic empowerment. Participants in the Summit included representatives from the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnership and faith-based liaisons from federal agencies. "I have organized today's Roundtable discussion because the leaders of the Baltimore religious commun… Continue Reading

Cardin Introduces Bill To Protect The Baltimore Oriole And Other Migratory Birds

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, has introduced a bill to reauthorize the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. More than half of the bird species found in the U.S. migrate across our borders and many of these spend our winter in Central and South America. This bill promotes international cooperation for long-term conservation, education, research, monitoring, and habitat protection for m… Continue Reading

Cardin, Portman Team Up To Clarify Pension Rules For Clergy And Other Workers At Religious Institutions

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Rob Portman (R-OH), members of the Senate Finance Committee, have introduced the Church Plan Clarification Act of 2013 (S. 952) to help ensure the retirement security of our nation's clergy, church lay workers, and their families by resolving an unfortunate application of our current pension rules on church pension beneficiaries. "Dedicating your life to serving a church, synagogue or other religious entity should not be an impediment to r… Continue Reading

Cardin Says Water Resources Bill Invests In Maryland Infrastructure And Environment-Dependent Jobs

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Chairman of its Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, called Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA/S. 601) a crucial investment in Maryland's economy, the newly expanded Port of Baltimore and the National Treasure that is the Chesapeake Bay. "Clean water means good jobs for Marylanders. The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) invests in the health of t… Continue Reading

Cardin Says Ensuring Compliance with the Law should not be Politicized

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, in response to allegations that some staff at the Internal Revenue Service inappropriately targeted certain organizations for extra scrutiny based on their political leanings, made the following remarks: "The Internal Revenue Service has a responsibility to ensure that organizations that receive tax-exempt status are complying with the law and not performing impermissible activities. However, under no circumstances should we tolerate targeting organiza… Continue Reading

Cardin And Law Enforcement Officials Call For Passage Of A National Blue Alert System Based On Maryland’s Public Safety Law

Rockville, MD - In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) toured the new Rockville City Police Station today and urged the passage of a national Blue Alert System. Senator Cardin was joined in Rockville by Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio, Rockville Police Chief Terry Treschuk, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, and Captain James DeWees, who is the Washington-Metro Troop Commander for the Maryland State Police. Based on the success of the Amber Alerts for missing childr… Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Praise Obama Administration For Ending Air Traffic Controller Furloughs And Keeping 149 Federal Air Traffic Control 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 Holds Roundtable Discussion On Immigration Reform

BALTIMORE, MD -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today held a roundtable discussion on immigration reform with stakeholders of comprehensive immigration reform. On April 17, the Border Security Economic Opportunity and Immigration Act, S. 744, was introduced in the U.S. Senate. This measure, which has bipartisan support, would strengthen border security, create a fair legalization program, and create a workable system to ensure that employers only hire legal workers in the future. Maryla… Continue Reading

Cardin, Collins Lead Senate In Brewing Up Jobs By Stimulating The American Craft Beer Industry

Washington, DC - Just days before the start of American Craft Beers Week, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME), have introduced a bill to stimulate regional economies nationwide with a reduction in the excise tax on each barrel of beer (one barrel is 31 gallons) brewed by small brewers. Joining as original cosponsors of the "Small BREW Act" (S. 917, The Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act) are Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mark Begich (D-AK), Tom Carper (D-… Continue Reading

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