Chairman's Press
Cardin, Warren, Wyden, Durbin, Carper, Casey, Merkley, Baldwin Respond to Trump Announcement Not to Resolve Conflicts of Interest
WASHINGTON - In a joint statement, United States Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) responded to President-elect Donald Trump's announcement today that he will not follow precedent by divesting his assets by placing them in a blind trust. "President-elect Trump's plan to address his financial conflicts of interest boils down to this: he will c… Continue Reading
January 10, 2017
10 Bipartisan Senators Introduce Comprehensive Russia Sanctions Legislation
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, led a group of bipartisan Senators Wednesday to introduce comprehensive sanctions legislation on Russia for their cyber intrusions, aggression, and destabilizing activities here in the United States and around the world. A factsheet on the legislation follows the quotes from the original cosponsoring Senators: Rob… Continue Reading
January 09, 2017
Cardin Reaction to Secretary Kerry Apology for Lavender Scare
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Monday after Secretary of State John Kerry issued an apology for the Lavender Scare. Senator Cardin first wrote to the Secretary about this issue in November: "The apology made by Secretary Kerry today represents a welcome first step to acknowledge this dark stain on our nation's history, and I thank him for his principled leadership. I intend to move forward … Continue Reading
January 06, 2017
Cardin Statement on Intelligence Community Report on Russian Hacking, Interference in U.S. Political System
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Friday after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released, "Background to 'Assessing Russian Activities and Intensions in Recent U.S. Election'": "Russian interference in the U.S. political system was a premeditated and massive effort to erode the American public's confidence in our democratic process that goes beyond the troubling hacks of th… Continue Reading
January 04, 2017
Cardin, Welch, Lead Nearly 60 Colleagues in Introducing Resolutions Urging Trump to Comply with Constitution by Severing Relationship with Private Business
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 U.S. Rep. Pete Welch (D-Vt.), a Member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, led nearly 60 of their colleagues Wednesday to introduce resolutions in the Senate and House stating the sense of Congress that President-elect Donald Trump should comply with the Constitution and follow the precedent established by prior presidents an… Continue Reading
January 04, 2017
Senators Cardin, Feinstein, Leahy, Carper, Klobuchar Introduce Legislation to Create Independent Nonpartisan Commission to Investigate Russian Interference in Election
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced legislation Wednesday to create an independent, nonpartisan commission to comprehensively investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election. The commission would fully investigate Russian cyberattacks on U.S. political entities and election infrastructure and any other attempts by the Russian government to influence U.S. elections, see… Continue Reading
January 04, 2017
Cardin and Rubio Introduce Senate Resolution Condemning Anti-Israel Efforts at United Nations
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) today introduced a Senate resolution objecting to the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, as well as all efforts that undermine direct, bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a secure and peaceful settlement. They are joined in this effort by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard… Continue Reading
December 29, 2016
Cardin Statement on White House Announcement of Russia Sanctions Following U.S. Cyber Attacks
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Thursday after the White House announced an extension of Executive Order 13964 to include Russian individuals and entities, following a new FBI/DHS report and the Intelligence Community's assessment in October that senior Russian government officials authorized cyberattacks in the United States related to the 2016 election and our democratic institutions: "The… Continue Reading
December 28, 2016
Cardin Statement Following Secretary Kerry’s Speech on Israeli-Palestinian Peace
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Wednesday: "Secretary of State John Kerry's personal commitment to Middle East peace is well-known and admirable. During his tenure at the State Department, his dedication to facilitating direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a two-state solution was evidenced in his investment of time, travel, resources, and creative proposals. "I welc… Continue Reading
December 22, 2016
Cardin Updates Colleagues on Tillerson Hearing Issues
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, wrote to his Democratic Committee colleagues Thursday updating them on his communications with Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) regarding Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson's hearing date, financial disclosure and ethics agreement documents, and tax returns: December 22, 2016 Dear Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic Members, I have heard from a number of you regarding the nomination o… Continue Reading
December 19, 2016
Cardin Statement On Appointment of Amina Mohammed as Deputy Secretary General and Progress on Gender Parity at the UN
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Monday on the appointment of Amina Mohammed as Deputy Secretary General, and gender parity in incoming Secretary General Antonio Guterres' Secretariat: "I applaud incoming Secretary General Antonio Guterres' appointment of Nigeria's Environment Minister, Amina Mohammed as Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. Amina Mohammed most recently served as Sp… Continue Reading
December 16, 2016
Cardin Statement on Chinese Seizure of U.S. Navy Submersible from International Waters
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, released the following statement Friday: "China's seizure of an U.S. Navy unmanned scientific research submersible in international waters off the South China Sea is a remarkably brazen violation of international law. No matter its motivation, China needs to explain its actions and immediately return the undersea drone, untampered with, to th… Continue Reading
December 15, 2016
Cardin Statement on Trump’s Delay in Announcing Future with Trump Organization
WASHINGTON - On November 29th, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, led nearly two dozen of his colleagues in introducing a resolution asking the President-elect of the United States to comply with the Constitution before taking an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. Not twelve hours later, Donald Trump responded that on December 15th, he would make an announcement about his future with the Trump Organization. Today, Senator Cardi… Continue Reading
December 14, 2016
Cardin Statement on Crisis in Aleppo, Syria
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Wednesday: "Not 24 hours after reports of civilians in Aleppo being slaughtered by the Assad regime and their Russian and Iranian backers, and a necessary but weak ceasefire was supposed to allow for evacuations, the aerial bombardment, shelling and killing have started again. The utter disregard for innocent human life in Syria is a stain on all of us. I join the in… Continue Reading
December 13, 2016
Cardin Statement on Rex Tillerson’s Nomination as Secretary of State
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday after President-elect Donald Trump announced he will nominate Rex W. Tillerson, the president and CEO of Exxon Mobil, to be the 69th Secretary of State of the United States of America: "The President-elect deserves to nominate individuals he believes will best carry out his agenda and serve our country. But as a separate and co-equal branch of governme… Continue Reading
December 13, 2016
Cardin Statement on Passage of Congressional State Department Authorization
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, applauded Congressional passage over the weekend of the first legislation to fund the State Department in 14 years. The 2017 U.S. Department of State authorization bill provides for critical reforms to diplomatic programs and core operations of the State Department. The bill also includes embassy security provisions to improve protection of U.S. diplomatic facilities and Foreign Service personnel, … Continue Reading
December 12, 2016
Senators Cardin, Feinstein, Leahy Call for Independent Nonpartisan Commission to Investigate Russian Interference in Election
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) called Monday for the creation of an independent, nonpartisan commission to comprehensively investigate alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. The commission would fully investigate alleged Russian cyberattacks on U.S. political entities and election infrastructure, seek to identify those responsible, and recommend a response as well as actions the U.S. can take to defend itself in … Continue Reading
December 10, 2016
Cardin Statement on Failure of Senate to Approve Montenegro Admission to NATO
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, issued the following statement Saturday after the Senate failed to approve the accession of Montenegro to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): "I am disappointed that the Senate did not advice and consent on the admission of Montenegro into NATO before we adjourned for the year. Vladimir Putin did everything he could to disrupt the recent Montenegrin Parliamentary elections in a… Continue Reading
December 09, 2016
Cardin Statement on Deteriorating Situation in Aleppo, Syria
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Friday as the situation in Aleppo, Syria continues to deteriorate: "The late Elie Weisel said 'I don't want my past to become anyone else's future.' "For more than 70 years now, civilized people have carried forward the charge to 'Never Forget'. That charge has been decimated on the streets of eastern Aleppo. The shame of the international community is … Continue Reading
December 08, 2016
Cardin, McCain Hail Watershed Moment in Global Human Rights Accountability, Fight Against Corruption
WASHINGTON - Senate and House passage of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is a watershed moment in global human rights accountability and the fight against corruption. The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, part of the NDAA, now heads to President Obama for signature into law. Championed by U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, and John McCain (R-Ariz.), Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, the bill gives th… Continue Reading
