CARDIN EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER IRAN'S CONTINUED NUCLEAR AMBITIONS

U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate this week to praise the economic sanctions against Iran just signed into law by President Obama. In his remarks, Senator Cardin highlighted the threat a nuclear Iran would pose to the United States, Israel and the world.   Video of Senator Cardin's floor statement can be found at http://… Continue Reading

CARDIN HAILS SENATE PASSAGE TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today hailed Senate passage of legislation to extend unemployment insurance benefits (UI) until Nov. 30, 2010 during what has been called the most severe economic recession our nation has experienced since the Great Depression.   Passage of legislation to extend UI benefits has been delayed since May. The delay has already hurt more than 19,000 Marylanders who have lost their benefits, costing the state's economy a… Continue Reading

STATEMENT BY U.S. SENATOR BENJAMIN L. CARDIN ON USNS COMFORT

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) issued the following statement regarding news reports that the Navy is considering moving the USNS Comfort from Baltimore to Norfolk, VA.:   "The USNS Comfort has taken on the difficult mission of saving lives and addressing some of the most difficult medical cases - all from the Port of Baltimore," said S enator Cardin. "I believe the resources of the Port of Baltimore have enabled the Comfort to fu… Continue Reading

TWELVE SENATORS OUTLINE PRINCIPLES FOR COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE AND ENERGY LEGISLATION TO MAJORITY LEADER REID

A group of twelve Senators today detailed key principles they will work to include in energy and climate legislation expected to be considered in the coming weeks.  In a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), the Senators urged him to include these baseline principles in legislation he may bring to the floor.   The letter was signed by Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), along with Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Robert Men… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI APPLAUD NOMINATION OF JUDGE DAY FOR U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND

U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) applauded President Obama's decision to nominate U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Day to a vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Southern Division, located in Greenbelt, Maryland.  If confirmed, Judge Day will fill the vacancy created by Judge Peter Messitte's retirement in September 2008. Senators Mikulski and Cardin commended the nomination of Judge Day, who has a clear … Continue Reading

CARDIN ASKS SECRETARY SALAZAR FOR DETAILS ON ASSESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE DONE BY THE BP OIL SPILL

U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, has written to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar expressing concern over the role BP is playing in assessing the damage it has inflicted on the Gulf region and questioning whether resource agencies at the Department have sufficient tools to timely assess the environmental damage done to the Gulf region and elsewhere because of the BP oil spill.   … Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN JOINS MAYOR RAWLINGS-BLAKE, CONGRESSMEN SARBANES AND CUMMINGS TO CELEBRATE 300 SUMMER YOUTHWORK JOBS

BALTIMORE - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin today joined Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and U.S. Congressmen Elijah Cummings and John Sarbanes (all D-MD) to celebrate 300 YouthWorks summer jobs for this year as part of the Baltimore Career Corp.   Senator Cardin and Congressman were responsible for getting $575,000 in funding from the Department of Labor for the program.   "We need to… Continue Reading

CARDIN OUTLINES BENEFITS OF HEALTH CARE REFORM LAW FOR BETHESDA SENIORS

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today spoke to seniors at the Fox Hill Senior Condominium in Bethesda today about the newly enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and how the new law will affect them.     "I am proud that the United States of America has finally joined every other industrialized nation in the world to say that health care is now a right and not a privilege.… Continue Reading

CARDIN INTRODUCES BILL TO REDUCE POLLUTED STORMWATER RUNOFF FROM HIGHWAYS

Washington, DC - Following a week of major storms across the region, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, has introduced legislation aimed at treating and containing highway stormwater runoff at or near the road surface to prevent pollution from ever reaching nearby rivers, streams or other waters.   S. 3602, the Safe Treatment of Polluted Stormwater Runoff (STOPS Runoff) Act wi… Continue Reading

THE DODD-FRANK WALL STREET REFORM AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

I rise today to congratulate my colleagues in the Senate and the House for completing the conference report to accompany H.R. 4173, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.   Over the past 30 years, our regulatory framework did not keep pace with financial innovation.  It was particularly impotent with regard to oversight of the so-called shadow banking system, which evolved in large part simply to avo… Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS REFORM PASSED BY THE SENATE WILL SHINE LIGHT OF TRANSPARENCY ON WALL STREET AND PROTECT MARYLAND CONSUMERS

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) praised today's passage by the Senate of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act . The conference report, which reconciled differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill, included a number of key amendments authored by Senator Cardin such as a provision to increase transparency in the oil, gas and mining industries; permanently increase the insurance limits for FDIC deposits to $250,000; pr… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE GRANT TO SUPPORT MARYLAND'S LOCAL FARMERS AND AGRICULTURE

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced the USDA has awarded more than $120,000 in federal grants to the Maryland Department of Agriculture, University of Maryland College Park , and the University of Maryland School of Nursing. The grant money will fund a study of the economic impact of Maryland farmers and encourage the production and use o… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE FEDERAL FUNDING TO HIRE 24 ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced Prince George 's County Fire/EMS won $3.5 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program to hire 24 additional firefighters. Senator Mikulski is on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the AFGP and fights each year to increase its federal funding… Continue Reading

SENATE ADOPTS WALL STREET REFORM INCLUDING CARDIN-LUGAR PROVISION TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ATTACK CORRUPTION

Washington, DC - With passage of the Wall Street Reform Conference Report, the Senate has approved a measure, authored by U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), to increase transparency in the oil, gas and mining industries. The Cardin-Lugar Energy Security Through Transparency (ESTT) provision will add stability to markets through greater information and predictability and help protect investors from … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE GRANT TO EXPAND FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY NANOTECHNOLOGY LAB

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded a $49,000 grant to enhance Frostburg State University 's Nanotechnology Laboratory. The grant will help the laboratory invest in efforts that will provide more students with in-depth knowledge and skills in nanotechnology. "I am pleased that ARC continues its strong support for Frostburg… Continue Reading

CARDIN WILL VOTE TO CONFIRM KAGAN AS THE NEXT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

Washington, DC - Speaking from the floor of the U.S. Senate today, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that he would vote to support Solicitor General Elena Kagan to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Senator Cardin's full statement and video of his remarks can be found at cardin.senate.gov .   "After questioning Solicitor General Kagan, and listening to… Continue Reading

THE NOMINATION OF ELENA KAGAN TO BE ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

"Next week the Senate Judiciary Committee will be voting on the nomination of Elena Kagan to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. This vote in the Judiciary Committee follows four days of hearings on her nomination. As you know, she currently is the Solicitor General of the United States.   "We had four days of hearings, during which every member of the Judiciary Committee had ample opportunity to ask questions and get respons… Continue Reading

CARDIN ENCOURAGED BY FOCUS ON CIVILIAN ENGAGEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN

U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), made the following remarks after a Committee hearing in which Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, testified about the civilian capacity within the region.   "The Obama Administration has shown a growing understanding that long-term, sustainable solutions to Afghanistan's problems will come from robust and effective civi… Continue Reading

CARDIN, CUMMINGS VISIT WITH 'GREEN JOBS' WORKERS AT DRUID HILL PARK CLEAN UP SITE

BALTIMORE -- U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin and U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings (both D-MD) today toured a portion of Druid Hill Park that is now being restored with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).   In January, Senator Cardin and Congressman Cummings greeted hundreds of Baltimore City residents as they applied for "Green Up, Clean Up" jobs with the Parks & People Foundation. The Foundation re… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN TELLS BALTIMORE CO. SENIORS THE NEW HEALTH CARE LAW WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH BETTER CARE & SAVE MONEY

OWINGS MILLS, MD -- U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today told seniors at the Atrium Village that a lot of misinformation has been circulated about the newly enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and that he was there "to set the record straight" about additional benefits for seniors in the new law and how they will improve their health care.   "Too much bad information is out there about the new law and I am here today to  be sure you have the correct… Continue Reading