SENATOR CARDIN APPLAUDS SENATE CONFIRMAITON OF KAREN GORDON MILLS AS SBA ADMINISTRATOR

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, today applauded  Senate confirmation of Karen Gordon Mills as the new administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA).   Senator Cardin has been critical of SBA's management under the Bush Administration, noting that over the past eight years, the agency has been understaffed and underfunded.   During her confirmation hearing,… Continue Reading

CARDIN CALLS SENATE PASSAGE OF FY2010 BUDGET AN IMPORTANT STEP IN SETTING A NEW DIRECTION FOR OUR NATION

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today praised Senate passage of the FY 2010 Budget Resolution, saying " this budget is an investment in our nation's future that will set important new priorities including cutting our dependence on foreign energy, tackling rising health care cost and improving our schools."   Last night, the Senate voted 55-43 to approve the FY 2010 Budget Resolu… Continue Reading

CARDIN CHAIRS HEARING ON PROMOTING WATER-USE EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, chaired a hearing today on the need for water conservation and the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in promoting water use efficiency.     "More and more Americans understand that we must move, as a nation, toward greater energy efficiency and renewable technologies. Most of us d… Continue Reading

PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS BALTIMORE HERITAGE AREA ACT INTO LAW

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.), Maryland Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings, Chris Van Hollen and John Sarbanes, and Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon today celebrated the signing of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 into law. The bipartisan legislation is one of the most important conservation efforts in decades, protecting more than 2 million acres of wilderness and more than 1,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers, creating m… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN SAYS SBA ACTION INCREASING SURETY BOND LIMITS WILL HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GET CONTRACTS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), author of  the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provision to increase the statutory limits under the Surety Bond Guarantee Program from $2 million to $5 million, praised the Small Business Administration (SBA) for implementing his amendment that raises the surety bond ceiling.   The SBA announced today that small businesses needing surety bonds to compete for construction and service contract… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT FUNDS IN THE FEDERAL CHECKBOOK FOR MARYLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD), today announced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes funding for community health centers across Maryland through the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).   "For decades, community health centers have provided comprehensive, quality primary health care services to medically underserved communities and vulnerable populations," Senator Cardin said… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE MARYLAND WILL RECEIVE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT FUNDS TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD), today announced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes more than $52 million for Maryland through the Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.    "It is critical to our nation's national security and future that we end our dependence on foreign energy," Senator Cardin said. "This funding will help Maryland fam… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI CO-SPONSOR BILL TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CIVIL JUSTICE FOR LOW-INCOME AMERICANS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) have co-sponsored legislation that would expand and improve vital civil legal aid in this country. The bill would increase funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), lift many of the restrictions on LSC-funded attorneys and improve corporate governance at LSC.    "As the former chairman of the Maryland Legal Services Corporation, I am committed to expanding access to legal serv… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI, CARDIN ANNOUNCE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PROGRAM TO REPLACE EXPIRED DIGITAL TV CONVERTER BOX COUPONS

WASHINGTON -  U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced the Department of Commerce has started accepting replacement requests from eligible households whose digital television converter box coupons expired without being redeemed. The deadline for nationwide conversion to digital television is June 12.   Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act made it possible for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTI… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN PRAISES COMMITTEE PASSAGE OF FY2010 BUDGET

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today praised committee passage of the FY 2010 budget resolution, saying " this budget represents a huge step forward because it sets new priorities for our nation that will enable us to lessen our dependence on foreign energy, reduce health care costs and increase access to education."   The Senate Budget Committee unanimously adopted two amendments … Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT FUNDS WILL UPDATE VA HEALTH FACILITIES SERVING MARYLAND VETERANS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced the economic recovery package, signed into law by President Obama last month, honors the nation's commitment to provide the best health care available to its veterans by putting funds in the federal checkbook for upgrades and improvements to Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities serving Maryland veterans. The bill also includes funds to restore Maryland's national cemeteries. Senator Mikulski is… Continue Reading

SENATORS CARDIN, ALEXANDER INTRODUCE BILL TO END THE DUMPING OF MINING WASTE INTO STREAMS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the dumping of mining waste into streams, effectively ending the practice known as mountaintop mining. The Appalachia Restoration Act would amend the Clean Water Act to prevent the dumping of what is known as "excess spoil" from mountaintop mining into streams and rivers.   Mountaintop mining is a method of c… Continue Reading

NOMINATION OF ELENA KAGAN, SOLICITOR GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, when President Obama nominated Elena Kagan to be the Solicitor General of the United States, I must tell you, I was extremely pleased because I knew of her reputation, I knew of her background, and I thought she would be an excellent choice to be the Solicitor General of the United States.    Chairman Leahy allowed me to chair the hearing on her confirmation. At that hearing, there were spirited questions asked by many members of the Judiciary Committee. We had … Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN INTRODUCES BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS TO OPERATE AS NON-PROFITS

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), today introduced legislation that would allow newspapers to become non-profit organizations in an effort to help the faltering industry survive.   In recent months, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Rocky Mountain News, the Baltimore Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle, among others, have either ceased daily publication or announced that they may have to stop publishing.  A number of other publications, i… Continue Reading

CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE $15 MILLION FOR BWI AIRPORT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport an Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant for $15 million to rehabilitate two of its aprons.   "Baltimore-Washington International Airport is a critical hub for Maryland's economy and I am committed to ensuring it has the resources it needs," said Se… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN JOINS GOV. O'MALLEY TO OUTLINE NEW HEALTH CARE FUNDS FOR MARYLAND

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today joined Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Department of Health & Mental Hygiene Secretary John Colmers to applaud the health care funding for Maryland that was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) , which became law in February.   The measure provides $1.63 billion in federal matching funds to help the State with Medicaid costs.   It also contains significant fun… Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN URGES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PURSUE CAREERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

ROCKVILLE - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), today urged students at Richard Montgomery High School to pursue a career in public service, saying "public service has been my life's work and it has allowed me to help our state and our nation develop policies that benefit all Americans."   The Senator spoke to members of the senior class as part of the Future Leadership Initiative, a program that seeks to motivate ambitious, intelligent students to choose careers … Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN RECEIVES AWARD FROM THE MARYLAND FARM BUREAU

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) has been selected by the Maryland Farm Bureau to receive the Friend of Farm Bureau Award because of his strong support of legislation in the 110 th Congress that has been beneficial to the farm community.   Senator Cardin was a strong supporter of the Farm Bill, which was enacted in 2008.   It contained funding for environmental program to help the Chesapeake Bay while also helping farmers remain economically v… Continue Reading

CARDIN EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT NEW CBO REPORT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S BUDGET

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today released the following statement following a revised report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that President Obama's budget will result in a $1.8 trillion deficit this year and a $1.4 trillion deficit in 2010.   This revision represents an increase in CBO figures released in January that predicted a $1.2 trillion deficit for FY 2009 and a $703 billion deficit for FY2010. … Continue Reading

SENATOR CARDIN THANKS MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES

BETHESDA - U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), today paid tribute to 54 Montgomery County public safety employees who have exhibited outstanding dedication and service at the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce's Annual Public Safety Luncheon.   "I want to thank all of the police officers, firefighters, correctional officers and public safety officials here today for their tremendous commitment to the residents of Montgomery County," said Senator Car… Continue Reading