Press Releases & Statements
Cardin, Colleagues Write Mnuchin on SEC Oil, Gas, Mining Transparency Rule
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led 14 of his colleagues Tuesday in a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, urging him to withdraw the Department's recent recommendation that a key extractive industry transparency provision be completely repealed by Congress. Earlier this year, Congressional Republicans halted the Securities and Exchange Commission's implementation of the rule but left the underlying rulemaking instru… Continue Reading
November 21, 2017
Cardin Reacts to Haitian TPS Recommendation by State Dept.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday after the State Department announced that Haitians in the United States on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) would need to leave the country by July 2019: "I am deeply concerned that the termination of TPS for Haitians in the United States will have a devastating impact on American and Haitian families, and further destabilize Haiti, a country still rec… Continue Reading
November 21, 2017
Cardin, Van Hollen Statement Ahead of Trial for Murder of Marylander Alex Villamayor in Paraguay
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) released the following joint statement Tuesday ahead of the Paraguayan trial in the murder of Marylander Alex Villamayor: "More than two years have passed since Alex Villamayor, a U.S. citizen and Marylander, was murdered in Encarnación, Paraguay. Alex was just 16 years old. After much perseverance by his family and contributions from both countries' governments, Alex's case will finally be tried in court. As we awa… Continue Reading
November 21, 2017
Cardin Calls on FCC to Reject So-Called ‘Internet Freedom Order’ to Keep the Internet Truly Open
BALTIMORE- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reject the so-called "Restoring Internet Freedom Order" that was released Tuesday by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. FCC commissioners will vote on the proposal at the FCC's Open Meeting on December 14. "The FCC's idea of Internet Freedom means freedom for providers to decide what the public can see and can do on the internet. This is not freedom for consumers, as net neutrality envisioned. This is bowing… Continue Reading
November 21, 2017
Cardin Reacts To Haitian TPS Recommendation By State Dept.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday after the State Department announced that Haitians in the United States on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) would need to leave the country by July 2019: "I am deeply concerned that the termination of TPS for Haitians in the United States will have a devastating impact on American and Haitian families, and further destabilize Haiti, a country still rec… Continue Reading
November 21, 2017
Cardin, Colleagues Write Mnuchin On SEC Oil, Gas, Mining Transparency Rule
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led 14 of his colleagues Tuesday in a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, urging him to withdraw the Department's recent recommendation that a key extractive industry transparency provision be completely repealed by Congress. Earlier this year, Congressional Republicans halted the Securities and Exchange Commission's implementation of the rule but left the underlying rulemaking instru… Continue Reading
November 17, 2017
Cardin Presses State Dept. for Central American, Haitian TPS Documentation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson yesterday requesting documents related to the Department's assessment of country conditions in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Haiti. The request also includes the Department's formal recommendation related to the extension and termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for each country and the documents prepared by the U.S. embassies… Continue Reading
November 17, 2017
Cardin Keynote Address At CSIS Transatlantic Forum On Russia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, delivered the following keynote address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Fourth Annual Transatlantic Forum on Russia Thursday. The Senator also answered a question at the end of his remarks about what he'll be looking for in upcoming confirmation hearings of Trump Administration national security officials: "Heather [Conley], thank you very much. It really is a pleasu… Continue Reading
November 16, 2017
Cardin Calls Tax Legislation Passed By the Senate Finance Committee Bad Policy Built for Partisan Politics Only
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after Committee Republicans moved forward their tax reform plan that would give permanent tax cuts to corporations at the expense of working and middle-income Americans. "How hypocritical can the Republicans get? This so-called tax reform is a collection of tax cuts for corporations and higher-income families. It does not target middle-income and working families despite repea… Continue Reading
November 16, 2017
Cardin Recognizes Eighth Anniversary of Sergei Magnitsky’s Death
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the author of the Sergei Magnitsky and Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Acts, released the following statement Thursday, the eighth anniversary of Mr. Magnitsky's death: "Like any good lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky went to Russian authorities when he uncovered corruption in the course of his work. For his commitment to his profession and for his bravery, he was summarily arrested, j… Continue Reading
November 16, 2017
Cardin, Van Hollen, Bay Senators Introduce Bipartisan Chesapeake Restoration Legislation
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in introducing the bipartisan Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act of 2017. This legislation increases mandatory funding for the Bay, strengthens the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCCP), and provides more opportunities for effective conservation efforts. In addition to Senators Cardin and Van Hollen, Senators Capito (R-W.Va.), Casey (D-Pa.), Kaine (D-Va.), Manchin (D-W.Va.), Warner (D-Va.)… Continue Reading
November 16, 2017
Cardin Celebrates the 96th Anniversary of American Education Week
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today celebrated Maryland public schools and public school educators as a part of American Education Week by releasing the following statement. American Education Week was created after World War I to create public awareness of the importance of public education. "As the grandson of immigrants and the proud product of the Baltimore City Public School system, I understand the transformative power of a high-quality public school education," said Senato… Continue Reading
November 16, 2017
Cardin, Van Hollen, Feinstein Introduce Legislation to Protect TPS Recipients
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), along with Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), introduced the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and in Emergency (SECURE) Act. This legislation would allow qualified Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients to apply for legal permanent residency. "Congress needs to pass legislation to protect those with TPS. We need to give predictability and safety to people who are in uncertain status, and we need to… Continue Reading
November 15, 2017
Cardin Calls for Calm, Democratic Process in Zimbabwe
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Wednesday regarding the ongoing political crisis in Zimbabwe. The African Union has called for restraint, and for respect for constitutional order: "The military's actions in Zimbabwe have all of the hallmarks of a coup, and I call upon all stakeholders to refrain from violence as this crisis is resolved. Though the United States has had serious policy differe… Continue Reading
November 14, 2017
Cardin Stands Up for Foreign Service, State Department, Questions Administration’s Commitment to Diplomacy
"If this sort of high-level decapitation of leadership were going on at the Defense Department - with three and four star officers resigning and younger officers and enlisted personnel suffering low morale and leaving as well - or not even signing up - I can guarantee you that the Congress would be up in arms. Yet here there is silence. Why?" "The State Department and USAID, I would offer, are every bit as vital and critical an element of our national security as the Department of Defense, t… Continue Reading
November 14, 2017
Cardin Remarks at Hearing on Use of Nuclear Weapons
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks Tuesday at a hearing on the authority to order the use of nuclear weapons: "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I almost always, in a perfunctory way, thank you for holding hearings but in this case, I really do believe this is a critically important discussion to have, not just with ourselves in the United States Senate but with the American people. "I must tel… Continue Reading
November 14, 2017
Cardin: Widespread Human Suffering in Yemen Reaches Catastrophic Level
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday regarding the humanitarian situation in Yemen and Saudi Arabia's role: "Saudi Arabia's announcement that they will begin reopening air and seaports in areas controlled by the Yemeni government is a positive first step to ending the Yemen blockade. However, I remain deeply troubled that ports and airports in the north-where the majority of Yemenis live-… Continue Reading
November 14, 2017
Cardin Stands Up For Foreign Service, State Department, Questions Administration’s Commitment To Diplomacy
"The State Department and USAID, I would offer, are every bit as vital and critical an element of our national security as the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, our law enforcement, or the myriad others in the federal government who work tirelessly every day to protect our security, extend our prosperity, and promote our values." WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement as prepared for d… Continue Reading
November 14, 2017
Cardin Statement on Republican Plans to Add the Individual Mandate Repeal in Tax Reform
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee, responded with the following statement after reports that Senate Republicans intend to include a repeal of the individual mandate in their tax reform bill. "Republicans now have doubled down on showing the country that the real purpose of this tax reform exercise is to pay back political donors rather than provide a fairer and less complicated tax system for the American people. In their attem… Continue Reading
November 14, 2017
Cardin Remarks at Hearing on Use of Nuclear Weapons
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks Tuesday at a hearing on the authority to order the use of nuclear weapons: "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I almost always, in a perfunctory way, thank you for holding hearings but in this case, I really do believe this is a critically important discussion to have, not just with ourselves in the United States Senate but with the American people. "I must tel… Continue Reading
