Press Releases & Statements
CARDIN, MIKULSKI SUBMIT APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST FOR FIRST YEAR OF DEDICATED METRO FUNDING
WASHINGTON , DC - U.S . Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both D-MD) today announced the submission of their formal request to the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee to provide federal matching funds of $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Last October, Congress adopted legislation authorizing $1.5… Continue Reading
May 01, 2009
SENATE PASSES BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Washington, D.C. - In honor of World Press Freedom Day on Sunday, May 3 rd, the U.S. Senate has passed a resolution recognizing the threats to freedom of the press around the world and reaffirming the United States' commitment to promoting this essential right globally. The resolution, S.Res.124, introduced by Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Ted Kaufman (D-DE), Richard Lugar (R-IN), John Kerry (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Robert Casey (D… Continue Reading
May 01, 2009
SENATOR CARDIN MEETS WITH MARYLAND MEDICAL COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS SWINE FLU OUTBREAK
BALTIMORE - As the number of confirmed cases of swine flu continued to grow in the United States, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Homeland Security and Terrorism Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today held an informational meeting to discuss the growing threat from the swine flu virus with his Health Advisory Committee and members of the Maryland health care community. The Senator was joined by Jeff Rivest, CEO of the Univ… Continue Reading
April 29, 2009
CARDIN PRAISES BUDGET AS A BLUEPRINT FOR FIXING OUR ECONOMY AND TACKLING HEALTH CARE
Washington , DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, praised Congressional passage today of the Fiscal Year 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution, saying that it lays out important priorities for our nation's future economic health. The Senate passed the measure 53-43. It was passed 233-193 by the House of Representatives earlier in the day. "America's economy is still in crisis, but the budget r… Continue Reading
April 29, 2009
SENATOR CARDIN PRAISES 25% INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR SBA IN BUDGET RESOLUTION
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Budget Committee and of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, today praised Senate passage of the FY 2010 Budget Resolution, which included his amendment to increase funding for the Small Business Administration (SBA) by $180 million, from $700 million to $880 million. "The SBA has suffered severe budget cutbacks over the past eight years, and th… Continue Reading
April 29, 2009
CARDIN LAUDS SENATE CONFIRMATION OF KATHLEEN SEBELIUS AS SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Washington - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today praised the 65-31 Senate vote to confirm Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). He released the following statement after the vote: "As our nation begins to cope with a potential flu pandemic, it is increasingly urgent that the void of senior leadership at HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention be filled quickly. … Continue Reading
April 29, 2009
BIPARTISAN SENATE COALITION SEEKS TO BROADEN PRESIDENT'S AUTHORITY TO SANCTION IRAN
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined a bipartisan coalition of 25 U.S. Senators introducing legislation to provide the president with expanded authority to stop Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. The Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act explicitly empowers the president to impose new economic sanctions on foreign firms involved in the export of gasoline and other refined petroleum products to the Islam… Continue Reading
April 29, 2009
CARDIN CALLS FOR AN END TO RACIAL DISPARITY IN DRUG SENTENCING GUIDELINES
Washington - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called the sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine a civil rights injustice that unfairly punishes minorities. Senator Cardin made his remarks during a hearing of the Judiciary Crime and Drugs Subcommittee entitled "Restoring Fairness to Federal Sentencing: Addressing the Crack-Powder Disparity." "There is no excuse for breaking the law by using and/or sel… Continue Reading
April 29, 2009
CONFIRMATION HEARING FOR ANDRE DAVIS, THOMAS PEREZ, AND DAVID HAMILITON
The Committee will come to order. Let me thank Chairman Leahy for asking me to chair today's hearing. Today we consider two judicial nominations: Judge Andre Davis of Maryland to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit, and Judge David Hamilton of Indiana to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit. We also consider today an important nomination for a leadership position in the Department of Justic… Continue Reading
April 29, 2009
CARDIN, MIKULSKI PRAISE OBAMA NOMINEES FOR FOURTH CIRCUIT AND DOJ CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both D-MD), participated today in the nomination hearing for Judge Andre M. Davis, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit, and Thomas E. Perez, to be Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice (DOJ). Senator Cardin, a member of the Judiciary Committee that will consider the nomination, presided over the hearing. Senator Mikulski, along with former… Continue Reading
April 28, 2009
MARYLAND SENATORS, CONGRESSMEN ANNOUNCE RECOVERY ACT FUNDING FOR PORT OF BALTIMORE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski and Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and Frank Kratovil (all D-Md.) praised the announcement today of $10.8 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue maintenance dredging of the Port of Baltimore and its shipping channels. This funding will help clear the maintenance backlog at the … Continue Reading
April 27, 2009
SENATOR CARDIN APPLAUDS SECRETARY SALAZAR'S DETERMINATION TO REVERSE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S RULING THAT REMOVED STREAM PROTECTION FROM MOUNTAINTOP COAL MINING
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), today applauded Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar's announcement that he will reverse a Bush Administration rule allowing coal mine operators to dump mountaintop fill within 100 feet of a stream. The rule, issued by the Office of Surface Mining, was linked to a separate Bush Administration rule that allowed the waste to be dumped directly into streams. In March, Senator Cardin joined with Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) to introduce th… Continue Reading
April 27, 2009
SENATOR CARDIN ATTENDS GROUNDBREAKING FOR NEW FORT MCHENRY VISITORS CENTER
BALTIMORE -- U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-M) today joined Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Senator Paul Sarbanes, and Congressman John Sarbanes (MD-3) in breaking ground for a new state-of-the-art Visitors Center at the Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine. The new Visitors Center is expected to be completed by fall 2010, in time to commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812. In 2005, then-Congressman Cardin work… Continue Reading
April 24, 2009
SENATOR CARDIN TELLS TANEYTOWN BUSINESS GROUP THAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE KEY TO OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY
TANEYTOWN, MD - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today told the Taneytown Business Breakfast that the recently enacted economic recovery package and omnibus appropriations contain important provisions that will provide them with some relief during these difficult economic times. " Our nation's economic recovery is dependent on the growth of small businesses," said Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneursh… Continue Reading
April 22, 2009
CARDIN JOINS VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR EARTH DAY ANNOUNCEMENT OF $300 MILLION IN RECOVERY ACT FUNDS FOR CLEAN CITIES PROGRAM
LANDOVER, MD - In celebration of Earth Day 2009, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, visited the WMATA Carmen Turner Maintenance and Training Facility in Landover, MD, with Vice President Joe Biden, Governor Martin O'Malley, and Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4) for the announcement of $300 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for state and local governments, and transit… Continue Reading
April 22, 2009
SENATORS CARDIN, MIKULSKI APPLAUD ANNOUNCEMENT THAT NPS WILL INVEST MORE THAN $6.6 MILLION IN PROJECTS ACROSS MARYLAND
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today applauded the announcement by the National Park Service (NPS) that it will invest $6,608,000 in eight Maryland national historic icons or landscapes as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The NPS also announced additional funding of $7.2 million for projects located in Maryland and surrounding states. "From Ft. Mc… Continue Reading
April 21, 2009
PROTECTING NATIONAL SECURITY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES: STRATEGIES FOR TERRORISM INFORMATION SHARING
The subcommittee will come to order. Let me note for the record that this is the first subcommittee hearing of the Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 111 th Congress. I am privileged to have been named as chairman of this subcommittee when the Judiciary Committee organized in February. I want to pay a special tribute to the former chairman of this subcommittee, Senator Feinstein, who has now bec… Continue Reading
April 21, 2009
CARDIN SAYS LAW ENFORCEMENT MUST FOCUS INFORMATION RESOURCES TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee led a hearing today entitled "Protecting National Security and Civil Liberties: Strategies for Terrorism Information Sharing." The subcommittee heard from key witnesses on the need to strengthen coordination and information sharing between government agencies charged with preventing and disrupting terrorist attacks inside the United States. This was th… Continue Reading
April 20, 2009
CARDIN SAYS AGGRESSIVE ACTION NEEDED TO RESTORE THE HEALTH OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
Annapolis, MD - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), led a hearing today in Annapolis to receive a status report on the health of the Chesapeake Bay and recommendations on the reauthorization of the Chesapeake Bay Program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. Full statements and testimony will be available at http://epw.senate.gov. "The Chesapeake Bay is in trouble. Th… Continue Reading
April 20, 2009
CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION: STATUS REPORT
This hearing of the subcommittee on water and wildlife of the Committee on Environment and Public Works will come to order. Today's hearing will focus on the health of the Chesapeake Bay, the status of the restoration effort, and recommendations about what can be done to accelerate progress. We will hear from two panels of witnesses. This will be the first in a series of hearings I intend t… Continue Reading
