HARFORD COUNTY, Md. – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, this week hosted two events to emphasize the role of local businesses in providing job opportunities and fueling the regional economy.
In Bel Air, Senator Cardin and the Harford County Chamber of Commerce were joined by the leaders of local veteran-owned small businesses for a roundtable discussion on issues affecting their success in the marketplace. The wide-ranging conversation touched on a variety of issues, including the need for the federal government to be an unwavering partner to small businesses by consistently passing long-term national budgets; for federal agencies to continually strive to reach contracting goals for veteran-, women- and minority-owned companies; and for federal programs supporting small business growth to expand. Veterans who have served our nation with honor deserve our continued support as they apply their skills in the civilian world.
In Edgewood, Senator Cardin brought his “Made in MD” jobs tour, which highlights the diversity of Maryland-made products and the Marylanders who make them, to Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies for military, transportation, homeland security and resilience applications. Senator Cardin surveyed Smiths Detection’s products, met the people who made them and held a town hall-style forum with employees, before celebrating a major new federal contract award.
“Wherever I go in Maryland, I find the spirit of innovation in strong supply, and I often find it accompanied by a commitment to keeping people safe. That blend of qualities is evident at Smiths Detection, where a diverse collection of bright minds is working together on products that can help protect us from those who would do us harm,” said Senator Cardin. “I spend a great deal of time in airports and know Smiths Detection because I see it in action at security checkpoints, but I did not realize just how vast their product line truly is. It’s an impressive lineup of cutting-edge technologies, and I’m very proud that Smiths Detection is made in Maryland.”
