Chairman's Press
Senate Delegation Concludes Mission to UN Climate Conference
Group Travels Next to Berlin for Global Security, Human Rights Meetings BONN, GERMANY -- A United States Senate delegation has concluded its mission to the annual United Nations climate conference in the wake of President Trump's intentions to withdraw America from the historic Paris Climate Agreement, an accord now agreed to by every other country in the world to fight global climate change through a mix of carbon emissions reductions, clean energy innovations, adaptation measures, and resilie… Continue Reading
November 11, 2017
Cardin Reacts to Trump Comments about Russian Meddling in US Democracy
BONN, GERMANY - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Saturday in response to President Trump's latest comments refuting the assessment of 17 U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the 2016 election. The Senator is currently at COP23, the UN climate conference, leading a Senate delegation that in part is seeking to reassure the international community about America's commitments, leadership and value… Continue Reading
November 10, 2017
Cardin Requests Extension of Protected Status for Haitians in U.S.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke this week requesting an 18-month extension of the existing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 58,000 Haitian nationals currently living in the United States, which expires on January 22, 2018. Senator Cardin said in part, "Although Haiti has made important strides towards reconstruction, its capacity to effectively manage … Continue Reading
November 09, 2017
Cardin Questions USAID Rationale for Sudden Cancellation of Nearly 100 Foreign Service Positions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has written to Mark Green, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), seeking an explanation for why 97 foreign service placements for new officers were abruptly cancelled. Months after the hiring freeze was lifted across the federal government, there is no legitimate reason for a national security agency to reject qualified applicants, ready to serve, some of w… Continue Reading
November 09, 2017
Cardin Says Reinstating Travel Restrictions to Cuba Harms American Leadership and Micromanages American Travelers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, responded with the following statement to the Treasury Department's new regulations reinstating travel restrictions and barring many transactions by American citizens in Cuba. "As President Trump continues down the path of retreating from U.S. global leadership, today's announcement marks another step backwards. In limiting the rights of American citizens to travel to Cuba and curtailing o… Continue Reading
November 08, 2017
Cardin Statement on Anniversary of OECD Corruption Mechanisms
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a leading advocate of anti-corruption and good governance policies, released the following statement Wednesday in commemoration of various anti-corruption anniversaries within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development: "I salute the OECD as they celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the landmark Anti-Bribery Convention, and fortieth anniversary of its predecessor, the 1977… Continue Reading
November 07, 2017
Cardin Seeks Long-term Extension of TPS for Central American Countries and Haiti
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Tuesday, calling on Congress to find a permanent solution to the instability wrought by the Trump Administration's indecision on Temporary Protected Status for most Central American countries and Haiti: "While I welcome the Trump Administration's rhetorical willingness to work with Congress to make long overdue changes to our immigration laws, I am worried … Continue Reading
November 05, 2017
Cardin Calls Potential End to Temporary Protected Status for Central American Countries and Haiti Destabilizing and Inhumane
BALTIMORE- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, issued the following statement in response to media reports that the State Department recommended against renewing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Haiti. Deadlines for decisions on TPS for these countries are as early as November 6 for Honduras. "If the accounts are true, by recommending against renewing TPS for Central American countries and Haiti,… Continue Reading
November 03, 2017
Cardin Statement on New Investigative Report into Assassination of Honduran Environmentalist Berta Cáceres
U.S. Senator has repeatedly called for justice in murder of Caceres, end to impunity in Honduras WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Friday after an Independent Team of Experts released a report highlighting the inefficiencies and negligence of the investigation into the assassination on the assassination of Honduran Environmentalist Berta Cáceres: "The deeply troubling findings of the I… Continue Reading
November 02, 2017
Cardin, Lugar Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former U.S. Senator Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), President of The Lugar Center and former Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following joint statement Thursday after the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) announced the United States would withdraw from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) as an implementing country. The Department falsely claims it … Continue Reading
November 02, 2017
McCain, Cardin, Durbin, Rubio & Young Introduce Bill to Impose Sanctions on Burmese Officials for Rohingya Atrocities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Ben Cardin (D-MD), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Democratic Whip, and Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Todd Young (R-IN), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a bipartisan group of their colleagues today in introducing legislation that would impose targeted sanctions and travel restrictions on senior Burmese military officials resp… Continue Reading
November 01, 2017
Cardin Responds to NYC Terror Attack
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, issued the following statement in response to the fatal terror attack in New York City Tuesday. "This terrorist attack that took the lives of eight people and injured at least a dozen more was tragic. My prayers and condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims - in the U.S., Argentina and Belgium - whose lives were shattered by this attack. I thank the first responders wh… Continue Reading
October 30, 2017
Cardin Raises Legal Authority Questions at AUMF Hearing with Tillerson, Mattis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following remarks Monday at a hearing on 'The Authorizations for the Use of Military Force: Administration Perspective.': "I join you in welcoming our two witnesses, and join you in our strong desire for this Committee to operate in a nonpartisan way for the betterment of our national security. I thank you for conducting this hearing. "This is one of the most important topics t… Continue Reading
October 26, 2017
Cardin Statement on Russia’s Decision to Stop UN Investigation into Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after Russia vetoed the renewal of a Syria chemical weapons oversight body in the UN Security Council earlier this week: "In 2015, the world came together to condemn the use of chemical weapons in Syria and set up an investigative body to hold accountable those responsible for such actions. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) - Jo… Continue Reading
October 26, 2017
Cardin Criticizes Latest Trump Administration EO on Refugees as Devastating to Innocent People, America’s Global Reputation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the Trump Administration issued a new Executive Order resuming "US Refugee Admissions With Enhanced Vetting" to restart the refugee resettlement program, which was suspended for 120 days as part of the travel ban. The new EO creates a new 90-day security review, in addition to the 120 day security review that was just completed, targeting 11 countries - E… Continue Reading
October 26, 2017
Cardin, McCain React to Administration’s Russia Sanctions Guidance Announcement
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 guidance related to Russia sanctions as required by the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. The Senators were chief authors and negotiators of the bill: "The administration's announcement is a step in the righ… Continue Reading
October 24, 2017
Senator Cardin Recognizes UN Day
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Tuesday in recognition of UN Day. Celebrated annually on October 24, UN Day is the anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945 and an opportunity to honor the goals and achievements of the United Nations: "For the past 72 years, the world has come together at the United Nations to reaffirm international norms and values and wo… Continue Reading
October 24, 2017
Cardin Labels Burmese Rohingya Crisis ‘Genocide’, Presses Administration for Answers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following remarks at a Committee hearing on 'Assessing U.S. Policy Towards Burma: Geopolitical, Economic and Humanitarian Considerations.' Senator Cardin is working with a bipartisan group of colleagues to draft legislation to clarify US policy towards Burma; place limits on our military engagement given the situation in Rakhine; explore whether economic or other sanctions are ne… Continue Reading
October 23, 2017
Cardin, McCain React to Revocation of Bill Browder’s U.S. Visa
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 statement Monday. The Senators are the co-authors of the 2012 Sergei Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and the 2016 Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act: "We understand that William Browder's U.S. visa has been revoked due his inclusion on the Interpol list. According to Br… Continue Reading
October 18, 2017
Cardin Welcomes Capture of Raqqa from ISIS in Syria, Progress against ISIS in Iraq
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday after the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces announced they had reclaimed Raqqa, Syria, from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS): "The capture of Raqqa from ISIS, its de facto capital in Syria, is another critical milestone in the fight against this genocidal terrorist group. I commend the commitment and performance of U.S. forces and our co… Continue Reading
