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“Russian and Belarusian democrats don’t want us to do their work for them, but they do need help removing the barriers that stand in their way,” said Chair Cardin. WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Belarus and Russia Democratic Governance during Exile (BRIDGE) Act,...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Chair of the Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, and Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) introduced a bicameral resolution expressing concern about Spanish-language disinformation and...

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL EVENT WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, hosted a bipartisan gathering of lawmakers, human rights advocates, and diplomatic representatives to renew the call for the release of Jimmy Lai and all political prisoners in Hong Kong. The event, “Honoring...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator James Lankford (R-OK) introduced the Iran Internet Freedom Act, marking the second anniversary of the protests sparked by the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman who was beaten to death by the Iranian regime’s morality...

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EVENT   WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, hosted a bipartisan gathering of lawmakers, human rights advocates, and Biden Administration officials to renew the call for the release of political prisoners in Russia and support those fighting for democracy. The...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced the release of the first video in a groundbreaking documentary-style series highlighting the lives of human rights defenders worldwide. Part of the Committee’s Truth to Power digital campaign, this innovative storytelling initiative...

WASHINGTON – This week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will convene for two press events. MEDIA POLICY: Seating is limited. All members of the media must RSVP to reserve a seat for public hearings, business meetings, on the record briefings, and Committee events by emailing Eric Harris at Eric_Harris@foreign.senate.gov. Cameras and audio...

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado following the exile of Venezuelan presidential candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, the widely recognized winner of Venezuela’s July 28 election. This marked Ms. Machado’s first public...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered opening remarks at the full Committee hearing, “Anti-NGO Laws and Other Tools of Democratic Repression.” In his remarks, Chair Cardin underscored the growing threat to democracy around the world through tools of democratic repression and...

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was recently freed following nearly 16 months of wrongful detention in Russia. "Evan’s safe return to the United States is a profound...

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 3:00pm ET, the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, led by Chair Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), will host a press event marking nearly four years since the wrongful imprisonment of Hong Kong media mogul and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai. The event will honor Mr. Lai’s activism for democracy and...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered opening remarks at the nominations hearing for Ambassador Julie Smith, to be an Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; Stephanie Hallett, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after ongoing Russian attacks on civilian targets across Ukraine. “Vladimir Putin’s relentless attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure is nothing short of horrifying. This week, Russian forces launched...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Bill Cassidy M.D. (R-La.), issued a joint statement following the exile of Venezuelan opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia. “More than a month after facing defeat at the...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), as well as Representatives Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.),...

WASHINGTON – This week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will convene for two full Committee hearings. MEDIA POLICY: Seating is limited. All members of the media must RSVP to reserve a seat for public hearings, business meetings, on the record briefings, and Committee events by emailing Eric Harris at Eric_Harris@foreign.senate.gov. Cameras...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement as the international community plans to convene in Baku, Azerbaijan for the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP29) from November 11 – 22, 2024. “Hosting a major international conference...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement following the news the United States has secured the release of 135 political prisoners in Nicaragua on humanitarian grounds. “The release of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners this morning brings much-needed relief to these...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement following the deaths of five hostages abducted by Hamas, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin. “The news of Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s murder, along with the murder of Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement following reports of the abduction of Perkins Rocha, Maria Corina Machado’s personal lawyer, and as Venezuela continues to see an increase in the arbitrary detentions of peaceful protestors and opposition party members. “A month...