Chairman's Press
Cardin Statement on Release of Azeri Political Prisoner Khadija Ismayilova
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Wednesday after Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist and host Khadija Ismayilova was released from prison in Azerbaijan. Cardin advocated heavily for her release through high-level meetings and media outlets: "I was heartened to hear that Khadija Ismayilova has been released from prison in Azerbaijan after being convicted on completely trumped up cha… Continue Reading
May 25, 2016
Cardin Statement on Release of Ukrainian Pilot, Parlimentarian Nadiya Savchenko
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Tuesday regarding the release of jailed Ukrainian fighter pilot and parliamentarian Nadiya Savchenko from prison in Russia. Cardin introduced S. Res. 52, which passed the Senate in 2015, condemning the Russian Government for its illegal imprisonment of Ms. Savchenko and calling for her immediate release: "I welcome today's release from prison in Russia of N… Continue Reading
May 23, 2016
Cardin Statement on Lifting of U.S. Arms Embargo on Vietnam
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Monday after President Obama announced the United States would be lifting its arms embargo on Vietnam: "I welcome this development as an important element of our effort to build a stronger, deeper partnership with Vietnam, but I do so with my reiterated call to better balance security needs with adherence to basic human rights. "So for now I'm cautiously… Continue Reading
May 18, 2016
Cardin, McCain Statement on Global Magnitsky Act’s Passage by House Committee
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and John McCain (R-Ariz.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a former member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Wednesday after the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The legislation passed the full Senate last year after being introduced by Cardin and McCain: "For too … Continue Reading
May 18, 2016
Cardin Joins Colleagues in Urging President Obama to Resettle More Syrian Refugees
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, joined Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 24 other senators today in calling on the President to fulfill the Administration's commitment to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States this fiscal year. He recently reiterated this commitment, but so far in the first seven months of FY 2016, only 1,736 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the United S… Continue Reading
May 17, 2016
Cardin Statement on Zika Virus Funding
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement after the Senate Tuesday invoked cloture on an amendment to appropriate funding in response to the spread of the Zika virus: "The Zika virus is not some nebulous foreign threat; it is already on our shores. The Senate bipartisan agreement to fund a more robust response to the spread of the dangerous Zika virus moves us closer to a reasonable response, but i… Continue Reading
May 17, 2016
Cardin Statement on Obama Administration’s Burma Sanctions Renewal
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Tuesday after the Obama Administration announced it would renew sanctions in Burma: "I support the President's decision to renew sanctions for Burma as provided under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. "Aung San Suu Kyi is to be commended for her leadership, particularly as her nation begins a new era with a NLD-led government after last year… Continue Reading
May 17, 2016
Cardin Statement on Assault of Russian Opposition Figure Alexei Navalny
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Tuesday regarding the assault on Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny and his colleagues and associates: "I condemn Tuesday's assault of prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny and his colleagues and associates, which occurred in broad daylight in full view of Russian police. This is just the most recent attack on Russia's embattled civil so… Continue Reading
May 13, 2016
Cardin Statement on Threats Against Golos, Other Russian Civil Society Groups
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and author of the the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act (Public Law 112-208), issued the following statement expressing concern over threats to Russia's civil society, including independent citizen election monitoring group Golos ahead of Russia's September 2016 parliamentary elections. "I am deeply concerned by the Russian government's renewed crackdown on civil society, includ… Continue Reading
May 12, 2016
Cardin Statement on Brazilian Political Situation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Thursday after Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff was suspended from office and formal impeachment proceedings against her begin: "Today marks a difficult moment for all Brazilians, regardless of their political ideology. Yet, I am confident that in the coming months, the strength of the country's institutions and its respect for the rule of law will allow… Continue Reading
May 10, 2016
Cardin Statement on President Obama’s Historic Visit to Hiroshima
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Tuesday after the White House announced President Barack Obama will visit Hiroshima, Japan, at the conclusion of his upcoming trip to Asia later this month: "I thank President Obama for his consistent leadership. As a Senator, a presidential candidate, and as leader of the free world, he has clearly spoken of the danger of nuclear weapons proliferation and… Continue Reading
May 04, 2016
Cardin Marks Yom HaShoah 2016
BALTIMORE- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and author of the bipartisan Genocide Prevention Act of 2016, issued the following statement in observance of Yom HaShoah 2016. This year observed from sundown May 4th through sundown May 5th, Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorates the millions of innocent lives lost during The Holocaust (Shoah) and remembers the individuals who risked their lives by resisting the Nazi's Final… Continue Reading
May 03, 2016
Cardin Statement on World Press Freedom Day
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Tuesday in commemoration of World Press Freedom Day: "Across the globe, journalists take incredible risks to serve an essential function: holding governments and leaders accountable to their citizens. A free press preserves our ability to speak truth to power, and promotes the kind of open society where ideas flourish. Yet far too often reporters face inti… Continue Reading
April 29, 2016
Cardin Commemorates International Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month
WASHINGTON - April is International Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month, and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has engaged in a full range of activities highlighting the need to strengthen U.S. atrocity prevention capabilities and to maintain a strong commitment to holding perpetrators accountable. As author of the Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2015 and the Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2016, Cardin knows Bash… Continue Reading
April 29, 2016
Cardin Statement on Jacobson’s Confirmation as Ambassador to Mexico
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Roberta Jacobson to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Thursday evening: "Mexico is one of our most important bilateral relationships on matters ranging from trade to immigration to security, and our top diplomatic post in the country was vacant for far too long. I offer my congratulations to our next Ambassador to Mexico, Ro… Continue Reading
April 28, 2016
Senate Passes Cardin, Corker Resolution Supporting Colombia’s Efforts to Pursue Peace, End Armed Conflict
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate passed a resolution Wednesday evening that recognizes the sustained U.S. bipartisan commitment towards Colombia and supports efforts to pursue peace through a negotiated end to the country's enduring armed conflict. The resolution was offered by U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the ranking member and chairman, respectively, of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and and cosponsored by 14 other Senators. "I'm very pleased the U.S. Sena… Continue Reading
April 28, 2016
Cardin Condemns Killing of Civilians in Syria Hospital Bombing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Thursday after a Doctors Without Borders-supported hospital in Aleppo, Syria was bombed, killing dozens. There were many injuries and the death toll was likely to rise: "Today's bombing and killing of dozens of innocent civilians at a Doctors Without Borders-supported hospital in Aleppo is the clearest sign yet that the Assad regime and its Russian allies … Continue Reading
April 28, 2016
Corker, Cardin: State Department Authorization Bill for 2017 Passes Committee
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 announced committee passage of the bipartisan U.S. Department of State Authorization Act of 2017. The legislation requires U.S. leadership at the United Nations (U.N.) to end sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers, promotes efficiencies in personnel and management at the State Department, and restructures the consular fee system for issui… Continue Reading
April 27, 2016
Cardin Statement Commemorating Armenian Genocide Anniversary
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, issued the following statement commemorating the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide: "This year marks 101 years since the Armenian Genocide, which claimed the lives of 1.5 million innocent men, women, and children at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Last year, the world gathered to commemorate the victims and to call on our leaders to… Continue Reading
April 27, 2016
Cardin, Gardner, Menendez, Schatz Introduce Asia-Pacific Maritime Legislation to Enhance U.S. Regional Leadership, Support Allies
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of both the Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and the SFRC East Asia Subcommittee, Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Chairman of the SFRC East Asia Subcommittee, Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), a senior member of the SFRC, and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced legislation Wednesday to enhance American maritime capacity and leadership and increase support to our allies in the Asia-Pacific region. The Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative Act o… Continue Reading
