Press Releases & Statements
Cardin Statement on General Mike Flynn Selection as National Security Adviser
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Friday after President-elect Donald Trump announced Ret. Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn would serve as his national security advisor: "I honor General Mike Flynn's three decades of service to the United States as part of our Armed Forces. Unfortunately, I have serious concerns regarding General Flynn's temperament, worldview, and potential conflicts of interest shoul… Continue Reading
November 18, 2016
Cardin Meets With Colombian President Santos
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, met with President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia in the Capitol yesterday to discuss bilateral relations and the Colombian government signing a revised peace accord with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. "It was an honor to welcome President Santos to the Senate today, where I thanked him for his steadfast leadership that has kept hope alive for peace in Colom… Continue Reading
November 16, 2016
Cardin, Portman Join with Tiberi, Neal for Bicameral Effort to Protect Retirement Security for Working Families
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, and U.S. Representatives Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio) and Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), both members of the House Ways & Means Committee, introduced updated legislation Wednesday designed to protect the retirement security of many American workers. The Retirement Security Preservation Act of 2016 (RSPA) amends the nondiscrimination rules that apply to qualified retirement plans to prote… Continue Reading
November 15, 2016
Cardin Statement on the Passing of Gwen Ifill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the passing of Peabody Award-winning journalist Gwen Ifill. "We have lost a good one far too early with the passing of Gwen Ifill. I had the privilege of knowing and befriending Gwen early in her career, when she was a politics reporter for the Evening Sun in Baltimore and I was a young Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates. I will always remember her … Continue Reading
November 15, 2016
Cardin Calls For Increased Humanitarian Assistance In Haiti Following Hurricane Matthew Devastation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry and Administrator Gayle Smith of the U.S. Agency for International Development Tuesday, calling for a substantial increase in assistance to the people of Haiti following the devastation of Hurricane Matthew last month. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians still lack reliable access to necessities such as shelter, water, food and medical supplies. "Haiti… Continue Reading
November 14, 2016
Cardin Calls on Trump to Demonstrate through Appointments that he Renounces Abusive Rhetoric from Campaign
BALTIMORE - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism, and Intolerance for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, issued the following statement. "President-elect Trump's road to the White House was a bumpy one littered with hate-filled rhetoric that stirred racist, anti-Semitic, misogynistic and xenophobic actions from the candidate and his support… Continue Reading
November 10, 2016
Cardin Welcomes Federal Decision to Keep Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR) in Essential Air Service Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today praised the U.S. Department of Transportation for approving a waiver that will allow Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR) to remain part of the Essential Air Service program, which was created to guarantee that small communities served by certificated air carriers before airline deregulation maintain commercial service. Under the terms of the FAA Modernization Act of 2012, in order to maintain federal subsidies, communities must maintain an average… Continue Reading
November 10, 2016
Cardin Applauds Myriad Contributions of Service Members, Families on Veterans Day 2016
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) issued the following statement commemorating Veterans Day 2016, which is tomorrow, Nov. 11. "As America celebrates Veterans Day, I join in honoring our veterans' service to our country. Above all, we recognize that their service often comes with profound sacrifice, both on their own part and by their loved ones. Yet still they served. Still they risked life and limb to protect us, to defend our values, to guard our freedoms and interests, all without… Continue Reading
November 09, 2016
Cardin on Presidential Election: “Hate Cannot be the Ruling Force in our Nation”
BALTIMORE - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and a member of the Senate Committees on Finance, Environment & Public Works, and Small Business & Entrepreneurship, released the following statement on the results of the 2016 presidential election. "For many Americans, myself included, the results of this election will be hard to swallow. "Since the founding of our republic, the United States of America has been governed by the p… Continue Reading
November 02, 2016
Cardin, Frosh, Alsobrooks Urge Marylanders to “Know Your Rights,” Resist All Efforts to Intimidate Voters
LANDOVER, Md. - During Maryland's early voting this week, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks and fellow leaders gathered outside the Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex, an Early Voting site, to underscore the important rights of voters as they head to the polls. Voters will have support through 1-866-OUR-VOTE or one of the other hotlines set up by the Justice Department, Attorney … Continue Reading
November 01, 2016
Cardin Statement on Fatal School Bus-Commuter Bus Crash in Baltimore
BALTIMORE - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), issued the following statement on the fatal bus accident in Baltimore. "I am deeply saddened by the news of this morning's fatal bus accident in southwest Baltimore. The situation is ongoing and we are still learning all the facts, including how many are injured or hospitalized. But so far we know at least six lives have been lost. Those are six people who woke up to go to work this morning like any other morning, but who won't be going home. Six fam… Continue Reading
October 31, 2016
Senate Committee Ranking Members Demand Answers From DOJ & FBI On FBI Review Of Recently Identified Emails
[Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.), Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-Md.) issued the following comment Monday after the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation failed to provide clarity regarding the latest review of Secretary Clinton's emails. The Ranking Members o… Continue Reading
October 28, 2016
Cardin, Mikulski Announce More Than $66 Million in Federal Energy Assistance Funding for Low-Income Maryland Families
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced that $66,017,758 in federal energy assistance funds will be available to Maryland families struggling to pay their heating bills this winter through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). In fiscal year 2015, Maryland LIHEAP provided 111,071 households with LIHEAP financial assistance. "This is good news for low-income Maryland families who now know that their homes will be safe and warm … Continue Reading
October 25, 2016
Cardin, Senators: Our Government Should Have No Part in Funding Discrimination
WASHINGTON - As negotiations on the conference report of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) reach their final stage, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and 41 Senate colleagues are raising concerns regarding a dangerous provision included in the House-passed NDAA that would roll back critical workplace protections and enable taxpayer-funded discrimination. The Senators wrote the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees today urging them to strip this… Continue Reading
October 24, 2016
Cardin Statement on the Latest Report of Chemical Weapons Use by the Assad Regime in Syria
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the author of the Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act, issued the following statement regarding the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism's (JIM) latest report on the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons. "The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism issued another rep… Continue Reading
October 18, 2016
Cardin Statement on the Start of Anti-ISIL Military Operations in Mosul
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement regarding Iraqi action against ISIL in their second-largest city, Mosul. "I welcome Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's announcement that military operations have commenced to retake Mosul from ISIL. U.S. and Coalition support has been critical for the planning and preparations for this operation, but ultimately the battle to retake Mosul must be Iraqi-led and … Continue Reading
October 13, 2016
Senators Ask President to Halt Construction of Dakota Access Pipeline
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to President Barack Obama Thursday requesting the administration halt construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline until affected tribes are consulted and a full environmental review is conducted. "In light of the decision of the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reject the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's request for a temporary halt to… Continue Reading
October 13, 2016
Cardin Statement on the Resignation of Howard County Sheriff James Fitzgerald
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) released the following statement on the announced resignation of Howard County Sheriff James F. Fitzgerald. Senator Cardin wrote to Sheriff Fitzgerald earlier this month asking him "to prioritize the needs of the residents of the county" and step down from his elected position. The letter can be found here. "Sheriff Fitzgerald has done the right thing for Howard County by agreeing to resign his post. Howard County's officers deserve a safe and respec… Continue Reading
October 13, 2016
Cardin Statement On Passing Of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific,released the following statement Thursday after the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, who at the time of his death was the world's longest reigning monarch: "I extend my deepest condolences to the royal family, the people of Thailand, and the Thai community of Maryland on the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol. "Over seve… Continue Reading
October 11, 2016
Cardin, Mikulski, Sarbanes Announce $400,000 Grant to Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikilski along with Congressman John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) today announced a $400,000 grant from the National Park Service's (NPS) Land and Water Conservation Fund to Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Grant funding will allow the park to build a new playground and seating area, as well as improve landscaping and signage throughout the park. "Sandy Point State Park is a close-to-home haven that brings families together and allows children to b… Continue Reading
