Cardin Takes Q&A From Census Bureau Employees On Sequestration, Federal Budget

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance Committee and representative for nearly 300,000 federal civilian and military workers, held the latest in his series of town halls with federal employees today at the U.S. Census Bureau headquarters in Lanham, Maryland. The Census Bureau is one Maryland's 60 non-military federal facilities. Senator Cardin provided an update on the federal budget, including sequestration and the continuing resolution now being debated… Continue Reading

Cardin Praises Nomination Of Marylander Tom Perez To Be U.S. Labor Secretary

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) lauded President Obama's nomination of Marylander Tom Perez to be the next U.S. Secretary of Labor. He looks forward to a fair and open confirmation process to fill this important position as soon as possible. "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. If confirmed as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor, Tom wi… Continue Reading

Cardin , Mikulski, Van Hollen Announce Federal Funding To Recruit And Retain Volunteer Firefighters In Montgomery County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski, along with U.S. Congressman Chris Van Hollen (all D-Md.) today announced the Kensington Volunteer Fire Department was awarded $197,126 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians. As the Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Mikulski fig… Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Praise Committee Passage Of Bill To Create Harriet Tubman National Historical Parks

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both- D-MD) today praised Senate committee passage of legislation to create two national historical parks to honor the life of Harriet Ross Tubman, the most famous "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee voted to report the bill favorably for consideration by the full Senate. Senator Cardin introduced the bill earlier this year along with Senators Mikulski and Senators Cha… Continue Reading

Cardin Joins Vice President, Attorney General In Announcing Grants For Programs To Prevent Domestic Violence

Rockville, MD - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a long-time cosponsor of the Violence Against Women Act, joined Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder in Rockville today to announce grants for programs across the country that will be modeled after Maryland's successful effort to help reduce domestic violence homicides. Speaking at the Montgomery County Family Justice Center, the Vice President and Attorney General shined a national spotlight on the Maryland Network Against Dom… Continue Reading

Cardin Holds Roundtable Discussion With Southern Maryland Businesses On The Effects Of Sequestration

WALDORF, MD -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today hosted a roundtable discussion in Charles County for Southern Maryland 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 de… Continue Reading

Cardin Remembers Deamonte Driver, Calls On HHS To Ensure Affordability Of Pediatric Dental Coverage, As Congress Intended

Washington, DC -- "Six years after the tragic death of Deamonte Driver from what started as a tooth infection, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), spoke from the floor of the United States Senate about the powerful legacy of this 12-year old boy from Prince George's County, Maryland. Senator Cardin also urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to follow the intent of Congress by clarifying its rules for medical health exchange coverage in such a way that will keep dental coverage for … Continue Reading

Cardin, Mikulski Introduce C&O Canal Bill To Continue Community Involvement In The National Historic Park

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) today re-introduced legislation to ensure the continued involvement of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Park Historical Park Advisory Commission in decisions that affect the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The C&O Canal National Historical Park is managed by the National Park Service (NPS), but the Advisory Commission was established more than 40 years ago to provide a vital link between the surrounding commun… Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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