CARDIN SAYS SECRET NUCLEAR FACILITY IS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR THOSE WHO DOUBTED IRANIAN INTENTIONS

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, released the following statement in response to the public announcement this morning by President Obama, British Prime Minister Brown and French President Sarkozy that Iran has been building a covert uranium enrichment facility near Qom for several years.    "The revelations … Continue Reading

SENATE PASSES CARDIN, MIKULSKI FUNDING REQUEST FOR CHESAPEAKE BAY GATEWAYS & WATERTRAILS NETWORK

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate has passed legislation containing an appropriations request by U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski, (both D-MD) of $1 million for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network.   Funding for the Network supports both matching grants to participating Gateway sites for development of high-quality interpretation, access or conservation and restoration projects.   Established in 1998, the Chesapeake Gateways… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCED $2 MILLION IN FUNDS FOR BLACKWATER REFUGE IN SENATE-PASSED APPROPRIATIONS BILL

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) announced today that the Senate-passed FY 2010 Interior and Environment appropriations bill contains $2 million for the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Dorchester County.   The Refuge is currently separated into two non-contiguous sections by an area of unprotected land that could potentially be the site of future development and deforestation.   The funding would be used by the U.S. … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE $2 MILLION TO REBUILD CRUCIAL UMCES HORN POINT LABORATORY BUILDINGS LOST IN FIRE

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) announced today that the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has been awarded a $2 million grant to support the design and construction of a new energy efficient building to house computers, faculty and staff offices. The new building will replace buildings destroyed in a fire in 2007. Those buildings had previously housed UMCES, Horn Point Laboratory's computer center and the o… Continue Reading

CARDIN, LUGAR INTRODUCE ENERGY TRANSPARENCY BILL TO FIGHT CORRUPTION AND PROMOTE STABILITY

WASHINGTON, DC - Energy companies would have to publicly disclose what they pay for oil, gas and minerals from U.S. and foreign governments under a bipartisan bill introduced today by U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and Senator Dick Lugar (R-IN) , Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.   … Continue Reading

CARDIN CALLS FOR GREATER INVESTMENT IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOLLOWING MAJOR WATER MAIN BREAK IN DUNDALK

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, speaking today from the floor of the U.S. Senate, called on his colleagues to support greater investment in our nation's water infrastructure. Senator Cardin's comments come just days after a major water main broke in Dundalk, MD, causing major flooding throughout the community.   "We i… Continue Reading

LEAHY, CARDIN, KAUFMAN INTRODUCE BENCHMARK LEGISLATION TO REAUTHORIZE EXPIRING PATRIOT ACT PROVISIONS

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security today joined Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE), also a member of the Judiciary Committee, introducing legislation to address expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act, which are slated to sunset on December 31.  The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the expiring provisions of the Patriot Act on We… Continue Reading

CARDIN SAYS SECURITY AND OVERSIGHT AT BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH LABS SHOULD BE INCREASED, COMMENSURATE WITH RISKS

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Judiciary Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee, today called on the key agencies responsible for security and oversight at America's biological research laboratories to develop a more centralized structure within the executive branch to strengthen security and enhance record keeping. Cardin made his remarks while chairing a subcommittee hearing e ntitled "Strengthening Security and Oversight at Biol… Continue Reading

CARDIN SKEPTICAL OF IRANIAN INTENTIONS, DISGUSTED BY AHMADINEJAD'S RHETORIC

  Washington , DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, released the following statement response to President Ahmadinejad's September 18 comments at Tehran University and in advance of Iran's scheduled meeting with the international community on October 1:   "The Iranian regime has consistently played diplomatic games with the international community, absent any good faith effort at… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN TOURS AMERICAN RED CROSS' HOLOCAUST & WAR VICTIMS TRACING CENTER ON EVE OF ROSH HASHANAH

BALTIMORE -- On the eve of the Rosh Hashanah holiday, U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) toured the American Red Cross' Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center, the national clearinghouse for persons seeking to learn the fate of loved ones missing since the Holocaust and its aftermath.     The Baltimore Tracing Center links the person initiating the request at one of the more than 750 American Red Cross chapters with hundreds of state archives, museums, and organ… Continue Reading

JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR, SENATOR CARDIN AND BALTIMORE STUDENTS TAKE IN A GAME AT ORIOLE PARK AT CAMDEN YARDS

Washington, DC - During the recent confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) thanked then-Judge Sotomayor for her role in ending the baseball strike in 1995 and helping to keep ironman Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive game streak alive. At the time, Senator Cardin also extended an invitation to Camden Yards for a ballgame. Following up on that invite, last night, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Senator Cardin attended the game between the Ba… Continue Reading

CARDIN APPLAUDS SENATE APPROVAL OF $4 MILLION FOR PURPLE LINE LIGHT RAIL

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Transportation Subcommittee, praised the Senate for approving $4 million for the Purple Line as part of the FY2010 Tran sportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill. The light rail line will connect major centers of Bethesda/Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, University of Maryland/College Park, and New Carrolton with residential and business areas in between including… Continue Reading

U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY LOCKE ANNOUNCES $3 MILLION RECOVERY ACT GRANT TO CREATE JOBS, BOOST DEVELOPMENT IN CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND

WASHINGTON - U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced a $3 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to the Dorchester County Council, the city of Cambridge, the Cambridge Municipal Utilities Commission, and the Maryland Economic Development Corporation, Cambridge, Md., to help build water and sewer extensions and a storm water management facility to serve the Dorchester County Technology Park.  The project, made possible because of the American Recovery and Reinv… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKUSLKI ANNOUNCE $9.9 MILLION FROM HUD FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT SENIOR HOUSING IN HAGERSTOWN

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD), today announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding the Hagerstown Housing Authority $9,879,750 in a competitive Public Housing Capital Fund grant for construction of a "green" public housing project for seniors at the site of the former H.L. Mills Station in Hagerstown. This shovel-ready project will be a 60-unit, four-story, LEED Certified building. The energy efficient d… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE $4.85 MILLION FOR NEW, ENERGY EFFICIENT COMMUNITY LIVING FACILITY IN EASTON

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) announced today that the Housing Authority of the Town of Easton has been awarded a $4.85 million grant for Phase I of the construction of a new "green" public housing facility in Easton.  Phase I will involve the construction of four four-story buildings serving Easton's senior community. These four buildings will house 72 living units for Easton's elderly, and a spacious community area that will provi… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE STEP FORWARD IN PUTTING $150 MILLION FOR METRO IN THE FEDERAL CHECKBOOK

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) announced Senate passage today of the 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill. The funding bill includes $150 million in federal funds for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) rail transit system. The funds will be used to make urgent safety upgrades.   "This appropriation brings the feder… Continue Reading

SENATE PASSES CARDIN, MIKULSKI FUNDING REQUEST FOR MARYLAND FOOD BANK

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate has passed an appropriations request by U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) that would provide $400,000 in funding to the Maryland Food Bank.   The funding will enable the Food Bank to meet its highest-priority capital needs, including the purchase of three refrigerated trucks, upgrades to office spaces and the installation of a new roof at the Maryland Food Bank's 87,000-square foot distribution center in Baltimor… Continue Reading

CARDIN, ENSIGN, REID, ISAKSON AND STABENOW CALL FOR A SIX-MONTH EXTENSION OF THE $8,000 FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS TAX CREDIT

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), last night, along with Senators John Ensign (R-NV), Harry Reid (D-NV), Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced a six-month extension of the popular $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time homebuyers. The current provision, passed as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , expires December 1, 2009.  According to the most recent Treasury data, nearl… Continue Reading

SENATE PASSES CARDIN, MILULSKI FUNDING REQUEST FOR HARRIET TUBMAN VISITORS CENTER

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate has passed legislation containing an appropriations request by U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) ) to provide $475,000   in continued funding for the federal-state Harriet Tubman Visitors Center at the State Park and envisioned National Historical Park.      In January, Senators Cardin and Mikulski were joined by Senators   Charles Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand (both D-NY)… Continue Reading

CARDIN APPLAUDS SENATE APPROVAL OF $4 MILLION FOR BALTIMORE RED LINE LIGHT RAIL

      Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Transportation Subcommittee, praised the Senate for approving $4 million dollars for the Baltimore Red Line as part of the FY2010 Tran sportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill. The light rail project will run 14 miles from east to west, operating from Woodlawn through downtown and to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Campus.    "Job creation and eco… Continue Reading