SENATORS AIM TO INCLUDE SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING CERTIFICATION PROCESS

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), last night introduced the Small Business Training in Federal Contracting Certification Act (S. 3444) to ensure that contracting officials successfully complete small business training prior to receiving certification in Federal contracting.  "Small businesses will drive our nation's economic recovery because they create the majority of jobs in our communities," said S… Continue Reading

ATLANTIC COAST SENATORS JOIN TO PRAISE CANCELLATION OF OIL & GAS DRILLING OFF VIRGINIA, CONTINUE CALL FOR A PERMANENT MORATORIUM

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both D-MD), Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez (Both D-NJ), and Bill Nelson (D-FL), today joined together to applaud President Obama for his decision to cancel the planned lease sale that would have permitted new drilling for oil and gas off the Virginia Coast. The Senators were united in calling this a "good first step" but insisting that a permanent moratorium for the Atlantic Coast is still needed. … Continue Reading

CARDIN CALLS ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PAY ITS FAIR SHARE TO CLEAN UP LOCAL POLLUTION

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has written to the White House urging the federal government comply with the locality based impervious surfaces fee that funds cleaning up after polluters.   The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has indicated to the Department of Defense, and other federal agencies, that they are not required to pay the District of Columbia's impervious surfaces fee, set to go … Continue Reading

CARDIN, BOXER CALL FOR ADDITIONAL REVIEW OF OFFSHORE DRILLING PERMITS

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the EPW Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, today wrote to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar requesting additional review of all drilling activity in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), and that approval of new permits include a processes that ensures that drilling will not pose unacceptable risks to the economy and th… Continue Reading

MEMORIAL DAY -- MAY 31, 2010

In 1981, a Florida high school student wrote a moving poem to honor his father -- a Marine. The poem is titled 'Freedom is Not Free,' and on this Memorial Day we remember that sentiment as we pay special tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice so our nation is still free and strong.   I join with all of you in praying for the families they left behind as we honor all those who gave their lives for our nation.   Today, I also join all of you in pr… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN PRAISES NOMINATION OF JAMES COLE TO BE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement in response to President Obama's announcement that he will nominate James Cole to be Deputy Attorney General.   "I welcome President Obama's announcement that he intends to nominate James Cole as Deputy Attorney General.   The Deputy Attorney General is the second highest ranking offici… Continue Reading

MID-ATLANTIC SENATORS URGE PRESIDENT TO SCRAP VA COASTLINE DRILLING PLANS OVER MILITARY CONCERNS

WASHINGTON - Today, Mid-Atlantic U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both D-MD), Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg (Both D-NJ) urged President Obama to abandon plans for an oil drilling lease sale along the coast of Virginia due to concerns from the military. A Department of Defense report made public this week has shown that significant areas within the planned lease sale would interfere with military operations and exercises. In their letter to the pr… Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS METRO MUST FOCUS ON SAFETY OF CURRENT SYSTEM FIRST

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) joined Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) for a hearing Wednesday of the Senate Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee to review the President's FY2011 budget request for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro).   The President's request for $150 million would be the second installment of a 10-year commitment made by the federal government last yea… Continue Reading

CARDIN: AMERICAN CONSUMERS AND TAXPAYERS WIN VICTORY OVER WALL STREET WITH PASSAGE OF FINANCIAL REFORM

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Wall Street reform bill by a vote of 59-39.   The Restoring American Financial Stability Act will now be reconciled with a financial reform bill passed by the House of Representatives in December.     "American consumers have won a real victory tonight. The bill passed by the Senate puts consumers first and provides strict new regulations to … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE $3.3 MILLION IN DHS FUNDING FOR U. OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that the University of Maryland , College Park (UMCP) will receive a $3.3 million U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center of Excellence grant to provide funding for the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). The START program, which is based at UMCP, was competitively selected by the DHS's Science an… Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS CONGRESS MUST TAKE ACTION TO BOLSTER IRANIAN SANCTIONS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement concerning the multilateral agreement on Iranian sanctions announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.   "For the safety of the world, Iran's nuclear ambitions must be contained. I applaud the Obama Administration for its success bringing along Russia and China, in … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI, KRATOVIL CALL FOR POSTAL SERVICE TO SCHEDULE PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS ON FATE OF EASTON MAIL PROCESSING FACILITY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin, Barbara A. Mikulski and Congressman Frank M. Kratovil (all D-Md.) today sent a letter to Postmaster General John E. Potter, asking that the U.S. Post Office schedule additional public information meetings on the Area Mail Processing Study of the Easton Processing and Distribution Facility in Easton, MD.     The text of the letter follows:   … Continue Reading

REVIEW AND OVERSIGHT OF THE PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2011 BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY (METRO)

Thank you Chairman Murray and Ranking Member Bond for holding this hearing, and thank you Sen. Mikulski for inviting me to address the subcommittee about the federal government's increased commitment to invest in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.   Last year, the Greater Washington Congressional Delegation fought hard for the much needed transportation appropriation we secured for WMATA. In working with the members of this subcommittee… Continue Reading

CARDIN ANNOUNCES SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENTS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), today announced that 15 Marylanders have accepted appointments to the U.S. Service Academies for the 2010-2011 academic year.     The five U.S. service academies -- the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy -- recruit top-notch young American men and women who will appreciate an excellent education and a chance … Continue Reading

CARDIN, KRATOVIL INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO PROTECT COASTAL REGIONS NATIONWIDE

Washington , DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee introduced the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act today that would authorize U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Coastal Program, which integrates all Service activities in coastal ecosystems to identify the most important natural resource problems and solutions. Congressman Fran… Continue Reading

CARDIN, SENATORS CALL FOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO OPEN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO BP OIL SPILL

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and chair of its Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, along with EPW chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and other members of the Committee, today asked United States Attorney General Eric Holder to open an investigation into potential violations of civil and criminal laws related to issues surrounding the ongoing BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  Joining Senators Cardin and Bo… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN PARTICIPATES IN MARYLAND DEPT. OF AGING HEALTH CARE 'SUMMIT'

GLEN BURNIE, MD -- U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today participated in a Maryland Department of Aging forum to help educate the state's Department of Aging county directors, senior center directors, and auxiliary staff about the newly enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.   "There has been a lot of misinformation about the new law and I want to be sure that seniors have the correct information … Continue Reading

CARDIN, CRAPO, MIKULSKI AND RISCH INTRODUCE BILL TO CONTINUE WATER RESEARCH AT LAND GRANT COLLEGES

Washington, DC - In a bipartisan effort to protect our nation's water supply, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), ranking member of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, along with Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) and James Risch (R-ID), have introduced a bill to continue funding for land grant universities in every state to research best methods for … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $37 MILLION FOR MARYLAND IN CRITICAL HOMELAND SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND PREPAREDNESS GRANTS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded Maryland 2010 Preparedness Grants totaling more than $37 million for seven federal programs.   These grants are focused on assisting state and local government and the private sector in strengthening preparedness for acts of terrorism, major disasters and other emergencies.   "Maryland's proximity to the our nation's… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI PRAISE OBAMA NOMINEES HOLLANDER AND BREDAR FOR DISTRICT COURT SEATS

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both D-MD) participated today in the nomination hearing for Marylanders Ellen Hollander and James Bredar to fill vacancies on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.   Hollander currently serves as a Maryland Court of Special Appeals Judge and Bredar is a U.S. Magistrate Judge.   Senator Cardin, a member of the Judiciary Committee that will consider the nominations, presided over the heari… Continue Reading