Chairman's Press
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin Releases Report Detailing Two Decades of Putin’s Attacks on Democracy, Calling for Policy Changes to Counter Kremlin Threat Ahead of 2018, 2020 Elections
U.S. Remains Vulnerable to Russian Interference without Unequivocal Presidential Leadership, Learning Lessons from European Democracies Top Foreign Relations Committee Democrat Makes Series of Recommendations to Counter Putin's Asymmetric Arsenal, Bolster Defenses Ahead of Future U.S., European, Elections WASHINGTON - A Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic staff report released Wednesday and commissioned by U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the Committee's ranking member, details R… Continue Reading
January 04, 2018
Corker, Cardin Introduce Resolution on Protests in Iran
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today introduced a Senate resolution expressing support for the rights of the Iranian people to have their voices heard and condemning the Iranian regime for its long history of human rights abuses. The resolution encourages the U.S. to work to convene emergency sessions at the United Nations to condemn the ongoing human rights violations perpetrated … Continue Reading
January 04, 2018
Cardin, Engel Reiterate Concerns Ahead of Honduran Presidential Inauguration, Amid Ongoing Political Crisis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following joint statement Thursday in response to the Trump Administration's recognition of a winner in the Honduran presidential election despite widespread irregularities reported by international election observers. Protests and political unrest in Honduras continue: "In advance of the Hondur… Continue Reading
January 02, 2018
Cardin Supports Iranian People in Pursuit of Fundamental Rights
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday amid ongoing protests in Iran: "As protests in Iran continue, I support the legitimate desires of the Iranian people for dignity and fundamental freedoms, economic opportunity, and a government that is responsive to its citizens. The ability to peacefully protest is a universal right, and I applaud the courage and commitment of Iran's citizens across … Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
Cardin, McCain Welcome Global Magnitsky Sanctions for Human Rights Abusers, Corruption
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and John McCain (R-Ariz.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following joint statement Thursday after the Trump Administration announced the first list of sanctions designations for international human rights abusers and corrupt individuals per the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Senators Cardin and McCain are the co-authors of the law: "We wrote… Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
Cardin Calls the Latest CR a Failure of Constitutional Responsibilities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and a member of the Senate Finance Committee, expressed his continuing frustration that Republicans are unable and unwilling to put forward real appropriations bills and continue to rely on Continuing Resolutions (CR) to fund the federal government. "It's unconscionable that the party that controls the Senate, the House of Representatives and the White House - the Republican Party -- cannot… Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
Cardin Requests Extension of Protected Status for Salvadorans in the United States
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen Thursday requesting an 18-month extension of the existing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for nearly 200,000 Salvadoran nationals currently living in the United States. The status expires on March 9, 2018. Senator Cardin said in part, "For nearly a decade, El Salvador has consis… Continue Reading
December 20, 2017
Cardin Asks Haley to Convene Emergency UN Session on Venezuela
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor Wednesday about the dire state of affairs facing the Venezuelan people and wrote to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, urging her to convene an emergency session of the UN Security Council to explore ways to alleviate human suffering in Venezuela. "With Venezuela's humanitarian crisis growing daily, conditions facing Venezuelan children are part… Continue Reading
December 20, 2017
Cardin Welcomes Latest Sergei Magnitsky Act Sanctions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Wednesday after the Trump Administration released five new sanctions designations under the 2012 Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law and Accountability Act. Cardin and U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) are the legislation's co-authors: "I welcome the addition of five new sanctions designations under the 2012 Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law and Accountability Act. Today… Continue Reading
December 20, 2017
Cardin: Reuters reporters should be released from Burmese imprisonment
Today at his regular pen and pad session with reporters on Capitol Hill, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, distributed the below fact sheet about imprisoned Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, in Burma. Cardin called for their immediate release. He also took the opportunity to make the following statement about broader press freedom issues: "I want to acknowledge that there has been a real, serious attack against the independence of … Continue Reading
December 20, 2017
Cardin Decries Backsliding in Burma as UN Human Rights Investigator Denied Access to Country
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Wednesday after the chief UN official investigating human rights abuses in Burma was denied access to the country in an upcoming trip. Earlier today, Cardin spoke out about the two Reuters reporters arrested and detained in Burma: "Burma continues to move in the wrong direction. A genocide has taken place against the Rohingya community in Rakhine, Burma, and … Continue Reading
December 19, 2017
Cardin Praises UN Renewal of Syrian Humanitarian Assistance
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday after the United Nations Security Council voted to renew UNSC Resolution 2165, which authorizes cross-border humanitarian assistance in Syria: "Today's decision by the UN Security Council was the right one, and I urge all friends of the Syrian people to do much more to ensure humanitarian access to besieged areas, particularly East Ghouta. "I am disa… Continue Reading
December 18, 2017
Cardin Expresses Concern about the Electoral Crisis in Honduras
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement Monday regarding the current electoral crisis in Honduras: "The widespread irregularities documented in the second report by the Organization of American States' election observation mission raise further doubts about the legitimacy of the Honduran elections. The fact that the OAS observation mission cannot certify the election results is a startling statement a… Continue Reading
December 14, 2017
Cardin, Magnitsky Act Author, Speaks at Helsinki Commission Hearing on Impact of Human Rights Law Five Years Later
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), delivered the following opening remarks Thursday at a Commission hearing on 'The Magnitsky Act at Five: Assessing Accomplishments and Challenges.' Senator Cardin is the lead author of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act and the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act: "Chairman Wi… Continue Reading
December 13, 2017
Transparency Champions Sens. Cardin, Lugar Call on House to Block Effort to Roll-back Transparency, Anti-corruption Standards for Oil, Gas, Mining Industries
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and former Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), called Wednesday for Members of the House of Representatives to block H.R. 4519 from further consideration after it passed the House Financial Services Committee. The legislation would repeal Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, commonly known as the Cardin-Lugar … Continue Reading
December 13, 2017
Cardin Expresses Concerns, Raises Questions about Presidential Use of Military Force Issues
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks Wednesday at a hearing on "The Use of Force: Strategic, Political and Legal Considerations.": "Mr. Chairman, thank you for convening this hearing. As I said when Secretaries Tillerson and Mattis were before our committee this is perhaps one of the most important responsibilities we have in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to consider circumstances and l… Continue Reading
December 13, 2017
Cardin Delivers Senate Speech on State of State Department Concerns
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday regarding ongoing personnel, management and mission statement issues at the State Department. The following remarks were prepared for delivery: "M. President. I come to the floor today to share my deep concern over the current state of America's global diplomacy. A multitude of decisions made by this administration in the last year have caused… Continue Reading
December 12, 2017
Cardin Remains Concerned About Damage Inflicted on State Department, USAID Following Tillerson Address to Employees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson addressed employees of the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development: "Secretary Tillerson missed an opportunity today to put the State Department back on a path to full health and definitively end his poorly conceived and ill-executed hiring freeze at State and USAID, among the only agenc… Continue Reading
December 08, 2017
Cardin, Booker Place Hold on McFarland Nomination
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) Friday, informing them of their hold on the nomination of K.T. McFarland to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore. "Ms. McFarland may have provided information to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that conflicts with recent media reports regarding her knowledge and involvement in matters pertaining to contacts durin… Continue Reading
December 08, 2017
Cardin Condemns Deadly Attack on UN Peacekeepers in Democratic Republic of the Congo
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Friday after UN peacekeepers were attacked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least 14 and injuring at least 40: "I strongly condemn today's brutal attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on UN Peacekeepers, in what the international body is calling the worst attack on peacekeepers in recent history. "I am deeply concerned about the in… Continue Reading
