CARDIN SUCCESSFULLY CHAMPIONS AMENDMENTS TO MAINTAIN FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR THE APPALACHIAN DEVELOPMENT HIGHWAY SYSTEM

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today praised Senate passage of MAP-21, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill. Senator Cardin championed three separate provisions in the bill designed specifically to aid the completion of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) and assure federal support for access roads in Appalachian counties such as Maryland's Garrett, Allegany, and Washington. MAP-21 consolidates many federal highway programs to give states more flexibility … Continue Reading

CARDIN LAUDS SENATE PASSAGE OF TRANSPORTATION BILL AS BOOST TO JOB CREATION NATIONWIDE

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, praised Senate passage of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century surface transportation bill. "We need to get more Americans back to work. The Senate took a step in the right direction today by voting to reauthorize federal highway and transit programs that will save and create nearly two million jobs a year across the country while maintaining or improving the roa… Continue Reading

COMMEMORATING THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM

President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island in Florida as the first national wildlife refuge on March 14, 1903. He was responding not only to an urgent need to conserve our vulnerable natural resources, but also to the passionate advocacy of Americans who understood that our nation's strength lies in the conservation of our wild lands and unique species. Over the course of his presidency, Roosevelt established 53 wildlife refuges, from Key West's mangrove islands and s… Continue Reading

CARDIN ANNOUNCES $4 MILLION IN NEW FUNDINGTO ASSIST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH BAY CLEANUP

PHILADELPHIA -U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced a new $4 million EPA-funded initiative providing financial and technical assistance to local governments to reduce water pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. "This critical program will enable local governments to design and implement projects that will achieve measurable goals in restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed," said Senator … Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE MUST ADVANCE WOMEN’S RIGHTS ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, spoke on the Senate floor honoring International Women's Day. He stressed that U.S. international assistance policy should address and remove barriers between women, rights and economic empowerment. His full statement can be found here. "Empowering women is one of the most critical tools in our tool box to fight poverty and injustice. Int… Continue Reading

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2012

Mr. President, let me thank Senator Murray for her comments and let me concur in her objection observations. What we've seen on women's health care issues here in this body. Some are trying to turn back the progress we have made. I was listening to my colleague talk about the ultra sounds. Well, Virginia just enacted an ultra sound bill this week. We talk about big government, government mandating ultra sound for pregnant women. This is outrageous and something that on International Women's Day,… Continue Reading

CARDIN, HOYER, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE FEDERAL GRANT FOR CHARLOTTE HALL VETERANS HOME

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) announced that Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in St. Mary's County, which serves veterans throughout the State of Maryland, will receive a Federal grant totaling $3,765,184 for assistance toward the cost of expanding the emergency generator power capacity. "Our veterans deserve the best and this… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE $505,000 IN FUNDING FOR LAND ACQUISTION AT BLACKWATER NWR

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission has approved $505,000 in funding to conserve 112 acres of habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The acquisition will be funded by more than $6 million in proceeds from sales of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, otherwise known as the Federal Duck Stamp. "The Blackwater NWR is one of Marylan… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI CALL ON PRESIDENT TO SPEED THE WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. TROOPS FROM AFGHANISTAN

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) joined a bipartisan group of 24 Senators today in calling on the President to bring American combat forces home from Afghanistan at a faster pace. As the Senate considers the 2012 Highway Bill on the floor this week, the Senators pointed out that the total dollar amount spent in both Iraq and Afghanistan to date would provide enough funding to rebuild the American interstate highway system five times over. "We simply… Continue Reading

“EXAMANING LENDING DISCRIMINATION PRACTICES AND FORECLOSURE ABUSES”

The following are Senator Cardin's remarks before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he is formerly a member of, on lending discimination practices. Let me begin by telling the Committee that I know from my own state of Maryland that families and communities are still hurting from the effects of lending discrimination and foreclosure abuses. The wounds are raw and real. There is still so much more that we can do. My own state of Maryland has become a model for the nation in strategies for … Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS COORDINATED POLICIES CAN SAVE PEOPLE’S HOMES, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES FROM THE RAVAGES OF PREDATORY LENDING AND FORECLOSURE

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) testified today before his former colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee to highlight the work being done to help Marylanders recover from predatory lending practices that were directed at this state and others. His full statement can be found here. "The wounds are raw and real. There is still so much more that we can do. Working across agencies, Maryland has developed a comprehensive strategy that includes legal and regulatory reforms, as… Continue Reading

CARDIN CALLS INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BUDGET AN INVESTMENT IN NATIONAL SECURITY

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the International Development and Foreign Assistance Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today called the Fiscal Year 2013 International Affairs budget request "a critical investment in America's national security." During the hearing, the Senator said that he fully agreed with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she said the budget is a "down payment on U.S. leadership." "Development, along with defense and dipl… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI CALL NAS REVIEW OF HEALTH STUDIES AT FT. DETRICK INSIGHTFUL, INFORMATIVE

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today called the National Academy of Science (NAS) Committee on Toxicology's year-long review of past Area B studies "insightful and informative" and called for moving quickly with remediation of contaminants to alleviate health concerns of area residents. "The NAS review provides credible and objective evaluation of the science used to determine the impact of previous activities at Fort Detrick on public health. Area B… Continue Reading

CARDIN, RUPPERSBERGER KICK OFF NATIONAL SALE OF COMMEMORATIVE COINS HONORING THE WAR OF 1812, STAR-SPANGLED BANNER

BALTIMORE - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and U.S. Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (both D-MD) today were joined by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes in unveiling two commemorative coins that will go on sale today to fund the Bicentennial Celebration of the War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner, our National Anthem. Senator Cardin and Congressman Ruppersberger sponsored legislation, signed into law by President Obama in August 2010, creating the two commemorat… Continue Reading

SENATE PASSES CARDIN RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING BICENTENNIAL OF WAR OF 1812

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today praised the Senate for swift passage of his resolution to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 and celebrate the heroism displayed by Americans during what is often referred to as the "Second War of Independence." The resolution was introduced by Senator Cardin on Wednesday (2/29) and was passed by the U.S. Senate Thursday evening by unanimous consent. S.Res. 388 commemorates "the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the Sta… Continue Reading

CARDIN, DURBIN, LEAHY, FEINSTEIN, MENENDEZ AND CASEY ASK PRESIDENT OBAMA TO EXTEND TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR SYRIANS IN THE U.S.

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Bob Casey (D-PA) wrote to President Obama today, asking his Administration to extend temporary protected status (TPS) to Syrian nationals currently in the United States. Such a designation would allow Syrians living in the United States to temporarily stay because violence in their home country poses a serious threat to their safety. "In light of the ongoing v… Continue Reading

CARDIN CALLS DEFEAT OF BLUNT AMENDMENT A VICTORY FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR ALL

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) called today's vote to table the Blunt Amendment to S. 1813, the Highway Bill, a vote to protect women and health care access for all Americans. "The outright assault on women's rights and women's access to essential preventive services has got to stop. I have spent my lifetime defending the First Amendment and all it provides and protects, but the Blunt Amendment is not about First Amendment freedoms; it's about creating an escape clause for any … Continue Reading

CARDIN INTRODUCES RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING BICENTENNIAL OF WAR OF 1812

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today announced he will introduce a Senate resolution commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 and celebrating the heroism displayed by Americans during what is often referred to as the "Second War of Independence." The resolution also honors the work of organizations in Maryland and around the nation that are organizing events that will commemorate the Bicentennial anniversary. On the Senate floor, as Maryland members of the America… Continue Reading

CARDIN HIGHLIGHTS NEED TO PROMOTE HUMAN-RIGHTS IN RUSSIA AND MOVE FORWARD WITH TRANSPARENCY IN THE EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, today urged Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to make human rights a priority in our dealings with Russia. "In considering Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for Russia, we must seize the opportunity to help advance the aspirations of the Russian people who are in the streets, demanding greater freedoms," said Senator Cardin during a S… Continue Reading

ON THE NOMINATION OF JUDGE GEORGE LEVI RUSSELL, III

I rise today to urge the Senate to confirm Judge George Levi Russell III of Maryland to be a US District Judge for the District of Maryland. Judge Russell was reported by voice vote of the Judiciary Committee on February 16, and he is not a controversial nominee. Judge Russell currently sits as a trial judge in the Baltimore City Circuit Court. The Constitution provides for lifetime appointments for federal judges, which is unique in our federal government. I take this obligation very serious… Continue Reading