CARDIN ATTENDS RIBBON-CUTTING FOR NEW DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY FACILITY

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MD - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today joined officials from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the Maryland congressional delegation at the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new, state-of-the-art facility. DISA is a Department of Defense combat support agency that provides information technology and communications support to the President, Vice President, Secretary of Defense, the military Services, and the Combatant Command. "Maryland has received interna… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE FEDERAL FUNDING TO UPGRADE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced Prince George's County Fire/EMS was awarded $1,267,200 in federal grant funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to upgrade its fleet with state-of-the-art communications equipment. As a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Mikulski fights each year to increase federal funding for the fire grants program.… Continue Reading

CARDIN INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO ENSURE MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES RECEIVE NEEDED OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION SERVICES

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today joined U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to introduce legislation to ensure appropriate access to outpatient rehabilitation services under the Medicare program. The bill would repeal the existing annual caps on physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services. "Arbitrary caps on vital Medicare services outpatient therapy have no place in medicine," said Senator Cardin. "These caps fail to take into account patient… Continue Reading

CARDIN CO-SPONSORS BILL CREATING FEDERAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST ALL FORMS OF WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), today announced that he is a co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation that would prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would extend workplace protections against discrimination to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered employees in the United States. "Our nation's promise of equal protection under the law should be fulfilled for all Americans at the workplace, r… Continue Reading

CARDIN INTRODUCES MEASURE TO PROTECT MILITARY FUNERALS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) has joined with U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) in introducing a bipartisan bill to amend existing federal funeral protest laws to help prevent disruptions at military funerals. The Sanctity of Eternal Rest for Veterans, or "SERVE" Act, S. 815, would strictly define the time and place for protests at funerals, providing greater protection for military families. The bill is in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision involving the family of … Continue Reading

CARDIN BILL TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL PAPERWORK BURDEN PASSES COMMITTEE, MOVES TO SENATE FLOOR

WASHINGTON - The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) today passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) to modernize the way the federal government and states track the shipment of hazardous waste. The Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act (S.710) would create an electronic manifest or "e-manifest" to track hazardous material shipments. EPA currently requires carbon copy manifests to accompany such material … Continue Reading

CARDIN CALLS FOR STRONG COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the International Development and Foreign Assistance Subcommittee, today held a full Committee hearing on the policy priorities in the international development Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 budget. At the Foreign Relations hearing, Administrator Rajiv Shah of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Yohannes of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) testified on the critical international … Continue Reading

CARDIN LAUNCHES NEW OFFICIAL WEBSITE

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today announced the launch of his newly redesigned official website. The new website is far more user friendly and navigable, enabling constituents and other users to easily access information about the Senator's legislative priorities, how to register their views on important issues, constituent services, information about Maryland, tips on visiting Washington, D.C., and other helpful information. In addition, the new site has seamlessly integrated … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MD, VA SENATORS ANNOUNCE $150 MILLION IN METRO SAFETY FUNDS INCLUDED CONTINUING RESOLUTION

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) today announced the Continuing Resolution (CR) negotiated with the House of Representatives to fund the federal government through September 20, 2011 includes $150 million for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The legislation requires that the highest priority be given to capital projects that will improve safety at WMATA. The District of Columbia, Marylan… Continue Reading

CARDIN HOLDS FIRST SENATE HEARING ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF “FRACKING”

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, today joined U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, to hold the first Senate hearing on natural gas drilling and its impact on public health and the environment. At the EPW hearing, experts testified on the potential damages that hydraulic fracturing can have on human health and the environment and examined what additional steps should be taken… Continue Reading

NATURAL GAS DRILLING: PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

The United States has as much natural gas as Saudi Arabia has oil. According to Penn State, the Marcellus Shale, which runs from central New York State to West Virginia, may be the second largest natural gas field in the world. We have enormous reserves that can help America meet its energy needs and do so in a way that produces far less pollution than coal, helps the United States on its path to energy independence, and improves national security. High volume, horizontal hydrauli… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE GRANT TO CREATE JOBS, PROMOTE INVESTMENT IN DORCHESTER COUNTY

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD), today announced the County Council of Dorchester County won a $607,750 competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to create and retain jobs and spur private investment on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Dorchester County will use the funds to renovate and repair an existing, county-owned industrial building for expanded use by a local packaging manufacturer, retaining 102 jobs and creating another 20 new jobs. "Thi… Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS AMERICA IS WINNER IN VOTE TO AVOID SHUTDOWN OF GOVERNMENT

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today issued the following statement after Congress voted late Friday night to avoid a shutdown of the federal government. A shutdown of the federal government would have furloughed approximately 800,000 federal employees. "The American people won when Congress voted to avoid a shutdown of the federal government. Now it's time to turn our attention to meeting the important challenges that face our nation. Those include reducing our deficit in a way… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI CO-SPONSOR BILL TO COMPENSATE FURLOUGHED FEDERAL WORKERS AFFECTED BY THE SHUTDOWN

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) and U.S. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) today co-sponsored legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-MD) that would compensate furloughed federal workers who are affected by a government shutdown. Federal workers who are involuntarily furloughed would receive retroactive pay for the duration of a shutdown once it is over. As it currently stands, members of the military will not be paid during a shutdown, but will re… Continue Reading

CARDIN JOINS HHS OFFICIALS TO ANNOUNCE COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today joined U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin and officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at the National Press Club to unveil the department's road map for eliminating health care disparities in our nation, the most comprehensive federal effort to date to address gaps in health and health care affecting America's racial and ethnic minorities. The Senator addressed the crowd at this morning's event, which was headlin… Continue Reading

CARDIN REINTRODUCES KEY LEGISLATION TO STOP RECURRING PASSPORT FRAUD

Washington - In advance of Passport Day on April 9, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee, along with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Senator John Kerry (D-MA), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today reintroduced legislation to end vulnerabilities in the State Departm… Continue Reading

CARDIN AND EPW COLLEAGUES APPLAUD SENATE’S VOTE TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND JOB CREATION UNDER CLEAN AIR ACT

Washington, DC - Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), along with Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and EPW Committee Members released the following statement in response to the Senate's rejection of four proposals that would interfere with the implementation of the Clean Air Act and block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from doing its job of curbing carbon pollution from the nation's largest polluters. The Senate's action to vote down the measu… Continue Reading

INTRODUCTION OF THE PASSPORT IDENTITY VERIFICATION ACT

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, this weekend I know that Marylanders will be taking advantage of Passport Day this Saturday, April 9. During these weekend hours at our passport acceptance facilities in Maryland, my constituents will have the ability to renew their passports or apply for a new passport, as we get ready for the summer travel season. When Marylanders apply for and ultimately receive their passports, I want them to continue to have confidence that the U.S. passport is the gold… Continue Reading

CARDIN CALLS RYAN PROPOSAL TO PRIVATIZE MEDICARE A NONSTARTER

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, today condemned Republican efforts to jeopardize Medicare, putting our seniors' health and financial security at risk. "The so-called budget plan coming from House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan is designed to take money and benefits from our seniors to put more dollars directly into the pockets of private insurance companies. This is dangerously irresponsible and costly for seniors who already are… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN SIGNS ON TO LETTER TO ITC ON EFFECT OF IMPORTS ON U.S. STEEL INDUSTRY

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) has signed on to a bipartisan letter with 18 other Senators to the Chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in advance of an April 6 hearing to determine whether hot-rolled steel imports from Brazil, Japan, and Russia are having a negative impact on the domestic hot rolled steel industry. "The steel industry has been hard hit in the past by unfair trading practices, resulting in the loss of thousands of good-paying, middle-class job… Continue Reading