Chairman's Press
Cardin Statement on Suspected ISIL Attack on Red Cross Convoy in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Wednesday after the deadly attack on an International Committee of the Red Cross convoy in Jowzjan province, Afghanistan, by suspected ISIL fighters: "I am deeply concerned about the attack and offer my sincere condolences to the families of the six aid workers killed and two who remain missing at this time. This despicable attack on individuals who were sel… Continue Reading
February 08, 2017
Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Legislation Establishing Congressional Oversight of Russia Sanctions Relief
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of Senators today introduced legislation, The Russia Sanctions Review Act of 2017, which provides for congressional oversight of any decision to provide sanctions relief to the Government of the Russian Federation. "Russia has done nothing to be rewarded with sanctions relief," said Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). "To provide relief at this time would send the wrong signal to Russia and our allies who face Russian oppression. Sanctions relief must b… Continue Reading
February 06, 2017
Bipartisan Senators Introduce Resolution Reaffirming Strong U.S.-Australia Alliance
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced a bipartisan resolution reaffirming the Senate's commitment to the enduring American-Australian alliance. The resolution reaffirms the strong alliance relationship between Australia and the United States; supports continued diplomatic, military, and economic cooperation between Australia and the United States; and reaffirms the importance of a U.S.-Australia … Continue Reading
February 05, 2017
Cardin Statement on Trump’s Fox News Interview
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Sunday after Fox News aired an interview between President Trump and host Bill O'Reilly: "Tonight, President Trump made clear he does not believe in America's exceptionalism when he equated the United States to Vladimir Putin and his murderous regime. Such a ridiculous statement sends a signal that this White House does not in fact prioritize the United State… Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Senate Ranking Members Write to Secretary of Defense & CIA Director Opposing Return to Ineffective, Immoral Policies on Torture & Detention
WASHINGTON - The Ranking Members of the Senate Intelligence, Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Judiciary and Appropriations Committees have sent a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and CIA Director Mike Pompeo expressing alarm at reports that Administration is reportedly considering an Executive Order that would revoke the bans on CIA "black site" detention facilities and interrogation techniques that aren't in the U.S. Army Field Manual. "We are deeply concerned by reports that the … Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Cardin Statement on Latest Iran Sanctions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Friday after the Trump Administration announced it was enforcing existing sanctions against Iran following its ballistic missile test: "Yesterday I sent a bipartisan letter with 21 other Senators to express our alarm at Iran's ballistic missile test and ask President Trump to enforce existing sanctions and consider additional sanctions on Iran for its ballisti… Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Cardin Statement on Senate Repeal of Key Anti-Corruption Rule for Oil, Gas Industry
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Friday after the Senate voted to repeal the Securities and Exchange Commission rule implementing Section 1504 of the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The House repealed the rule Wednesday. Section 1504 was written by Cardin and former Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) to promote transparency and accountability by requiring domestic and fo… Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Cardin Statement on Hospitalization of Russian Opposition Activist Vladimir Kara-Murza
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Thursday after Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza was hospitalized in a possible poisoning attack: "I was alarmed to see reports that Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza was taken to the hospital today. His symptoms appear to be similar to those that he experienced two years ago when he was poisoned and fell into a coma. We do not know… Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Cardin, Corker Lead 20 Bipartisan Colleagues in Iran Letter to President Trump
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led 20 of their bipartisan colleagues today in a letter to President Trump after reports that Iran conducted a ballistic missile test late last week. Joining Senators Cardin and Corker on the letter are Democratic Senators Tim Kaine (Va.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Chris Coons (Del.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), Bob Casey (Penn… Continue Reading
February 01, 2017
Bi-partisan Legislation Introduced to Honor Centennial of Late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat with the Congressional Gold Medal
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), U.S. Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT), and U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-NY), announced today that they would be introducing a bi-partisan and bi-cameral bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by U.S. Congress, to the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. As the centennial of Sadat's birth approaches in 2018, he will be honored with the highest civilian decoration U.S. Con… Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Cardin Statement at North Korea Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks at Tuesday's hearing, "Confronting the North Korea Threat: Reassessing Policy Options": "It is clear that North Korea, according to the Statement of their leader, is in the final stages of testing, launching the intercontinental ballistic missile. "If North Korea is successful in launching an ICBM, it would be well on its way of joining China and Russi… Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Corker, Cardin Announce Subcommittee Membership for 115th Congress
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved subcommittee membership, jurisdiction, rules and the budget for the committee in the 115th Congress. The subcommittee assignments are listed below and available online here. The committee's jurisdiction and rules are available here. Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism Senator James E. Risch (R-Idaho) - Chairman Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) - Ranking Member Senator M… Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Cardin Statement on Assassination of Myanmar’s U Ko Ni
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Monday after U Ko Ni was assassinated in Myanmar: "I would like to express my deep condolences to the people of Myanmar over the assassination of U Ko Ni, a prominent lawyer and leader of Myanmar's Muslim minority, as he left the Yangon Airport this past Sunday. His death is a particularly tragic loss given the challenges that the people of Myanmar face in th… Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Cardin Expresses Condolences to Victims of Quebec City Mosque Attack
WASHINGTON - Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Monday in response to the mass shooting at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec in Quebec City, Canada. "In the aftermath of this horrific attack, I send my deepest condolences to the victims and their families and friends. At a time when Muslims around the globe are facing greater hostility and prejudice, I stand with Prime Minister Trudeau in his affirmation t… Continue Reading
January 28, 2017
Cardin Statement on Day One Impact of Trump’s Refugee Restriction
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Saturday after two Iraqis with valid visas were denied entry into the United States yesterday after having served our military in Iraq. As of this release, at least one of the detainees had been released on a Special Immigrant Visa after being held for almost 24 hours: "The detention of these individuals makes immediately clear the dangerous and destabilizing … Continue Reading
January 27, 2017
Cardin Statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day
WASHINGTON- 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, released the following statement observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is commemorated annually on January 27. "Seventy-two years ago today, the Nazi Concentration Camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated. As survivors… Continue Reading
January 27, 2017
Cardin Statement on Trump Banning Certain Refugees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Friday after President Donald Trump issued an executive order on foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States: "President Trump's cruel executive order on refugees undermines our core values and traditions, threatens our national security, and demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of our strict vetting process, the most thorough in the world. … Continue Reading
January 26, 2017
Cardin Statement on Mexican President’s Cancelled U.S. Trip
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Thursday after Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto cancelled his trip to the United States amid President Trump's provocations regarding border security: "Less than one week after taking office, President Trump is already causing serious damage to one of our most important relationships in the world. U.S. national security depends directly on cooperati… Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Cardin Statement on LGBT Rights, Issues at Start of Trump Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday: "At the confirmation hearings of Rex Tillerson and Nikki Haley, it caught my attention when neither of them would say the phrase 'LGBT'. I've now heard from constituents and activists that the State Department and White House websites have been scrubbed of LGBT content at the outset of the Trump Administration, including the recent apology former Secr… Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Cardin Statement on Haley Vote
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Tuesday regarding his vote on the nomination of Gov. Nikki Haley to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: "What Governor Haley lacks in foreign policy and international affairs experience, she makes up for in capability, intelligence, and a track record of building coalitions in South Carolina. Her nomination was surprising to many of my colleagues … Continue Reading
