CARDIN JOINS BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS TO ANNOUNCE FORMATION OF NEW SENATE OCEANS CAUCUS

Washington, DC - With our oceans and coastal resources, and the economies and jobs they support, facing constant and increasingly direct pressure from a variety of sources, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin joined a bipartisan group of senators today to announce the formation of a new Senate Oceans Caucus. The Caucus will work to increase awareness and find common ground in responding to issues facing the oceans and coasts, which support millions of jobs in America and contribute more to the country's GD… Continue Reading

CARDIN ATTENDS WEST BALTIMORE CLERGY UNITED’S 5TH ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL JAM

BALTIMORE- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today attended the West Baltimore Clergy United (WBCU) and Feed the Children International's 5th Annual Back to School Jam. Thanks to the event, more than 1,200 families received food and toiletries, and 2,100 children received school supplies in preparation for the new academic year. The event was held on the campus of Coppin State University in Baltimore. "I applaud the West Baltimore Clergy United for hosting the 5th Annual Back to School Jam," said… Continue Reading

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s Statement on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11

Ten years ago, the United States of America suffered an unprecedented tragedy that forever changed our nation. On September 11th, we pause to remember the more than 3,000 people who perished in the attacks on our nation. We remember the occupants of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia and the crew and passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93. We honor the selfless actions of our firefighters, police, paramedics and other emergency and medical perso… Continue Reading

CARDIN APPLAUDS PRESIDENT OBAMA’S BUDGET FOR THE FUTURE

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) released the following statement following President Obama's speech today at George Washington University on his plan to deal with our nation's deficit. "Our budget problems were caused by two things during the Bush Administration: we reduced taxes on the highest earners and we went to war in both Iraq and Afghanistan without paying for them. President Obama today outlined a vision for reducing our nation's deficit that provides for our nation's fu… Continue Reading

TEN YEARS LATER: SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues in commemorating the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001. I remember that morning so vividly. It was stunningly clear and beautiful with a crispness in the air that hinted that fall was just around the corner. And then, with a sudden ferocity, the airliners crashed into the World Trade Center (WTC), the Pentagon, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Barely two hours elapsed between the first hijacking and the collapse of the No… Continue Reading

CARDIN CHAIRS HEARING ON U.S. AID TO AFGHANISTAN AS MILITARY DRAWDOWN IS SET TO BEGIN

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chairman of Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection chaired a hearing today on the future of U.S. development assistance in Afghanistan entitled "Afghanistan: Right Sizing the Development Footprint." "The State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) face significant challenges as t… Continue Reading

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE PASSES CARDIN BLUE ALERT BILL TO HELP APPREHEND CRIMINALS WHO INJURE OR KILL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

WASHINGTON - By a vote of 14 to 4, the Senate Judiciary Committee today passed U.S. Senator Ben Cardin's National Blue Alert Act, S. 657, which would create a nationwide alert system to apprehend violent criminals who have injured or killed police officers. The nationwide alert system would disseminate critical information about the suspect to law enforcement agencies, the public and the media. The measure now goes to the full Senate for consideration. Senator Cardin introduced the bill in the… Continue Reading

CARDIN, ROBERTS, SNOWE INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ENCOURAGE RETIREMENT SAVINGS THROUGH EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANIES

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), along with fellow Finance Committee members Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME), have introduced legislation to encourage retirement savings by fostering the growth of S-corporations that are owned by Employee Stock Ownership Plans ("S-ESOPs"). Through changes to the tax code and educational outreach to companies, the bipartisan Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2011 (S. 1512) would eliminate barr… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN NAMES NEW SOUTHERN MARYLAND REPRESENTATIVE

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, D-MD, today announced that he has named Sue Kullen as his representative in Southern Maryland. Ms. Kullen will represent the Senator in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties, where she will work with constituents on federal issues, coordinate with local and state officials, and handle community outreach. Ms. Kullen represented the citizens of Calvert County as a Delegate in the Maryland General Assembly from 2004-2010. In the General Assembly, she was… Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSED SMOG STANDARDS WILL HARM MARYLANDERS, COST JOBS

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, responded quickly to the announcement that President Obama asked the Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw the draft Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards: "Today's decision to withdraw the proposed ozone standard is bad for the health of the 140,000 Maryland children who have asthma and is based on bad economics. More than half of the smog that leads to asthma attacks ev… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MAYOR RAWLINGS-BLAKE ANNOUNCE RECIPIENTS OF COMMUNITY ENERGY SAVERS GRANT PROGRAM FOR NONPROFITS

BALTIMORE -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) was joined by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore City Department of General Services (DGS) Director Ted Atwood today to announce the latest recipients of Baltimore City's Community Energy Savers Grant program. Also on hand for the event were City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton, and Beth Strommen of the Office of Sustainability. The grant program, which was funded by federal stimulus fu… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT FOR UNIVERSTY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) today announced the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) has been awarded $987,000 in grant funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to recruit and prepare minority students at the graduate level for careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce. "Science and technology are the keys to winning the future and moving America's economy forward into the 21st century," s… Continue Reading

CARDIN CONTINUES OUTREACH TO FEDERAL WORKERS WITH TOWN HALL AT NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

Bethesda, MD - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Budget and Finance committees, today answered questions from employees at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) headquarters. The town hall is the latest in Senator Cardin's outreach to federal workers who have been directly affected by the recent budget crisis. The majority of the session was dedicated to Q&A from the NIH employees on the federal budget, BRAC, and other issues of concern. "I am proud of the contribution o… Continue Reading

CARDIN DISCUSSES RECENTLY ENACTED BUDGET DEAL WITH SENIORS AT TOWN HALL MEETING

CATONSVILLE, MD -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today held a town hall meeting for residents of Charlestown Retirement Community to inform them about the recently enacted budget agreement and what it means for them and the programs they depend upon such as Medicare and Social Security. Senator Cardin, who is a member of the Senate Budget and Finance committees, also provided seniors with details about the budget agreement and what to expect in the future as the Joint Congressional Committee … Continue Reading

CARDIN PRAISES SWIFT EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR MARYLAND IN ADVANCE OF HURRICANE IRENE

Washington, DC - Just hours after U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and the Maryland Congressional delegation urged President Obama to grant a major disaster declaration, in advance of Hurricane Irene, the White House has announced that such a declaration has been approved. Maryland is now eligible for federal disaster recovery dollars through the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), ensuring the already strained state budget is not stretched any thinner as a result of this natural d… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $34 MILLION IN FEDERAL DOLLARS TO PROTECT MARYLAND FROM TERRORISM

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced $34,328,303 in emergency preparedness grants for Maryland from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The grants, awarded by the DHS Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will help Maryland prepare for and respond to emergencies. "While these are difficult economic times, Congress has a critical responsibility to protect American citizens from harm," said Senator Cardin. "These grants will … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE NEARLY $3 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced $2,794,580 in grants to strengthen public health infrastructure in Maryland. These grants were provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) and the Association of Public Health Libraries (APHL). "Strong public health initiatives are the key to good health care outcomes and supporting these type of life-saving progr… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE NEARLY $2 MILLION TO REDUCE DNA BACKLOGS IN MARYLAND

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced $1,797,559 in grants to reduce DNA backlogs in Maryland crime laboratories. These federal dollars are provided by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Institute of Justice, and are being awarded to the Maryland State Police, the City of Baltimore and Prince George's County. "DNA testing is crucial for crime investigations, but a great deal of evidence that could implicate or eliminate suspects … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE GRANT TO REVITALIZE VIRGINIA AVE CORRIDOR IN CUMBERLAND

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that the City of Cumberland, MD has received a $30,000 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant to revitalize the Virginia Avenue Corridor on Cumberland's South Side. The funding is expected to attract two new businesses to the Corridor and improve the City's overall economic health. "The Virginia Avenue Corridor has a rich history as a business district and economic cornerstone for Cumberland," said S… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $1.9 MILLION IN GRANTS TO HELP FARMERS PROTECT CHESAPEAKE BAY

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded grants totaling more than $1.9 million to help famers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed conserve the Bay under the Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program. "The Chesapeake Bay is Maryland's greatest natural resource, the cornerstone of our economy, and a national treasure," said Senator Cardin, Chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of … Continue Reading