SENATORS: SLASHING FAA BUDGET TO 2008 LEVELS WILL PREVENT UPGRADE OF NATION'S DECADES-OLD AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, ADDING ESTIMATED 200,000 FLIGHT DELAYS A YEAR

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today released a letter to Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressing his opposition to Senator Paul's attempt to slash the budget of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fiscal year 2008 levels. Senator Cardin signed the letter with Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The Senators … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI, ANNOUNCE FEDERAL FUNDING TO PURCHASE EMS AND FIREFIGHTING GEAR IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced the Upper Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department won $49,875 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to purchase firefighting and EMS equipment. As a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Mikulski fights each year to increase federal funding for the fire grants program. Senat… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN APPLAUDS SENATE REPEAL OF EXPANDED 1099 REPORTING REQUIREMENT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), today applauded Senate passage of an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization bill that repeals the expanded Form 1099 reporting requirement for small businesses. Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, was a co-sponsor of the amendment, which was offered by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and that passed 81-17 Wednesday evening.   "I applaud the Senate for acting swiftly in passing … Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS MORE INVESTMENTS NEEDED TO KEEP AMERICA'S DRINKING WATER SAFE

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, praised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its work keeping America's drinking water safe and urged his colleagues to support the long-overdue reauthorization of the Water Infrastructure Financing Act. Senator Cardin made his remarks at an EPW hearing Wednesday on public health and drinking water issues.   "Marylanders and all Americans de… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI LAUD JOB-TRAINING GRANT FOR TRANSPORTATION LEARNING CENTER IN SILVER SPRING

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) has awarded two grants totally more than $1.6 million to improve transit maintenance training at the International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC) in Silver Spring, MD.  The grants will support escalator and elevator maintenance training, along with rail and bus system maintenance. The DoT awarded a $1 million grant to address the ongoing s… Continue Reading

CHAIRMAN BOXER, SENATOR CARDIN AND EPW COLLEAGUES' STATEMENT ON PROPOSED INHOFE/UPTON/WHITFIELD BILL THAT WOULD ROLL BACK PROTECTIONS FROM CARBON POLLUTION

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, joined U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and other EPW Committee members in releasing the following statement in response to a proposed bill released today by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) in the Senate and Congressmen Fred Upton (R-MI) and Ed Whitfield (R-KY) in the House that would undermine our protections from carbon pollution under the Clean Air Act: Senator Boxer said: " Biparti… Continue Reading

CARDIN URGES EGYPTIAN LEADERSHIP TO HEED CALLS FOR A SWIFT AND PEACEFUL TRANSITION

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, released the following statement regarding the ongoing developments in Egypt. Senator Cardin looks forward to working with SFRC Chairman Kerry and the Obama Administration in efforts to support an expeditious and non-violent democratic transition for the Egyptian people.   "I am alarmed by the growing reports of civilian violence bei… Continue Reading

SENATE DEMS URGE TOP REPUBLICANS ON HOUSE SPENDING PANELS TO REJECT PAUL'S CALL TO END FOREIGN AID TO ISRAEL

WASHINGTON, DC-Today, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Robert Casey (D-PA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) called on the top Republicans on the House appropriations and budget committees to reject Senator Rand Paul's call to eliminate foreign aid to Israel. In an interview last week with CNN, Paul announced his support for… Continue Reading

SENATORS CARDIN, MIKULSKI INTRODUCE BILL IN 112TH CONGRESS TO ESTABLISH TWO NATIONAL PARKS TO HONOR LIFE OF HARRIET TUBMAN

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today were joined by Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (both D-NY) in introducing legislation in the 112 th Congress to honor the life of Harriet Ross Tubman, the most famous "conductor" of the anti-slavery resistance network known as the Underground Railroad. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Act will establish t… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN JOINS HUD SECRETARY DONOVAN TO HIGHLIGHT ENERGY EFFICIENT INNOVATION AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN BALTIMORE

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) (D-MD) today joined U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, Congressman Elijah Cummings (MD-7 ) and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake visited Poppleton Phase II Apartments to highlight how the development is promoting energy efficient innovation and creating jobs in Baltimore, MD, supporting President Barack Obama's goal of helping America "Win the Future." Senator Cardin toured the 86-unit apartment comple… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN SELECTED FOR SEAT ON FINANCE COMMITTEE

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today was appointed to the influential Senate Finance Committee. The Senator brings to the new assignment long experience in dealing with the issues before the Committee. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Senator Cardin served on the Ways and Means Committee for 17 years. During that time, he was a leader on many of the same issues considered by the Finance Committee. On Ways and Means, then-Congressman Cardin served as Ran… Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS ECONOMIC GROWTH IS TIED TO IMPROVEMENTS IN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), todaycalled for swift authorization of a new transportation bill that would ease highway congestion, invest in public transportation, reduce energy consumption, improve the environment, support economic growth and improve the overall livability of our communities.  Senator Cardin pressed for renewal of a comprehensive transportation bill today at an EPW hearing entitled "Tran… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN CO-SPONSORS BIPARTISAN BILL TO REPEAL EXPANDED 1099 REPORTING REQUIRMENT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, has joined Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) in introducing the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act , which would repeal the expanded Form 1099 reporting requirement for small businesses. The provision is set to take effect in 2012. "This is a burdensome provision and Congress needs to move swiftly to repeal it provision before it tak… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN CALLS ON PRESIDENT TO INCLUDE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN SIX-YEAR PLAN FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, today wrote to President Obama calling on him to include water infrastructure in his six-year plan for investing in our nation's infrastructure. While less visible than our roads and bridges, our water mains are critical to our physical economic health and are in dire straits. Senator Cardin's letter followed up on the President's State of the Un… Continue Reading

CARDIN STATEMENT ON THE STATE OF THE UNION

Washington, DC U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), released the following statement in response to President Obamas State of the Union Address. Senator Cardin is a member of the Senate Committees on Budget, Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Environment & Public Works, Foreign Relations and the Judiciary. His guest for the State of the Union address was Prince Georges County Executive Rushern Baker. Senator Cardin sat next to Republican Senators Roger Wicker(R-MS) and Roy Blunt (R-MO). … Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN TELLS BALTIMORE COUNTY SENIORS THAT REPEAL OF NEW HEALTH CARE LAW WOULD INCREASE HEALTH CARE COSTS

GLEN ARM, MD -- U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today told members of the Glen Meadows Retirement Community that the new health care reform law contains important new benefits to help them and that a repeal of the Affordable Care Act " would increase their health care costs, harm the solvency of the Medicare program and increase the federal budget deficit by $230 billion in 10 years." Starting January 1, seniors who fall in the Medicare Part D prescription drug gap or "donut hol… Continue Reading

CARDIN CALLS LATEST WATER MAIN BREAK AN URGENT REMINDER OF NEED TO UPDATE OUR NATION'S AGING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE

Washington, DC - Following a major water main break in Prince George's County that shut down a portion of the Capital Beltway and disrupted regular work at the Census Bureau headquarters and Andrews Air Force Base, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Senate Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, renewed calls for reauthorization of the Water Infrastructure Financing Act, which provides foundational funding for our nation's drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. "One … Continue Reading

CARDIN, COLLINS OPPOSE BROADER USE OF E15 FUELS

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME) criticized the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) approval today of E15 fuels for older cars, a decision that will put consumers at risk and has the potential to damage more than 200 million cars and small engines not approved for the use of such fuel blends.   "The EPA has yet to offer an adequate plan to protect consumers who operate older cars and trucks, boats as well as the operators of small engine e… Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS REPEALING HEALTH CARE REFORM WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE HEALTH OF AMERICANS AND OUR ECONOMY

Washington, DC U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) released the following statement in response to the vote in the House of Representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act.   The new House Leadership seems intent on putting the health and the lives of our seniors and middle-class Americans in jeopardy with their irresponsible pursuit of repealing health care reform. At a time when the American public clearly wants its leaders to focus our attention on helping to create jobs and grow our… Continue Reading

SENATORS CARDIN, MIKULSKI APPLAUD SELECTION OF NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE TO REVIEW HEALTH STUDIES ON FT. DETRICK AREA CONTAMINATION

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today applauded the selection of the National Academy of Science's (NAS) Committee on Toxicology to review key public health reports and studies that have been conducted concerning environmental contamination and remediation efforts at Fort Detrick. "I am pleased that the National Academy of Science has been called upon to review and evaluate all studies pertaining to environmental contamination and cancer ris… Continue Reading