Benjamin Cardin

Biography
Benjamin L. Cardin has been a national leader on health care, retirement security, the environment and fiscal issues since coming to Congress in 1987. In 2006, he was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes in the U.S. Senate. As a Senator, he serves on the Foreign Relations Committee, Judiciary Committee, Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Budget Committee and Small Business Committee. On the Judiciary Committee, Senator Cardin chairs the Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee, and on the EPW Committee he chairs the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee for the 111th Congress.

Agriculture
He led the effort in the Senate to include the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative in the 2008 Farm Bill. This unprecedented effort will set aside millions of dollars for Chesapeake farmers so that they can put effective conservation practices on their lands. These specially-tailored programs help assure the financial viability of our family farms while also protecting the Chesapeake Bay from nutrient and sediment pollution.

Environment and Energy
As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, he continues to champion energy legislation that will create clean jobs while also tackling climate change head-on. As the Senate takes up landmark legislation to address climate change, he will be in the forefront of efforts to reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil while reducing greenhouse gas pollution. By capping carbon pollution and using free market incentives, we can slash pollution levels while investing in a host of clean energy technologies, improving "Green Building" standards to reduce energy consumption, and investing in the next generation of fuel-efficient vehicles.

Homeland Security
As the new Chairman of the Judiciary Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee, he recognizes that Congress' top priority is to protect the American people. We must make sure that our law enforcement and intelligence professionals have the tools they need at their disposal to prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks. At the same time, we must ensure that our government uses its scarce resources wisely, and that it strikes an appropriate balance between national security and protecting civil liberties.

Budget and Economy
Our nation's economy is in trouble and American families are hurting. As consumer spending sinks and financial markets falter, millions of Americans have lost their jobs and millions more face foreclosure. What began in the housing market and moved to the financial markets has turned into a serious world-wide economic recession.

Foreign Relations
The United States faces a range of international challenges including threats to our security, economy, environment, and commitment to basic human rights. With a new President who is dedicated to rebuilding America's position in the world, we also have tremendous opportunities to establish new partnerships and strengthen old ones in an evolving world.

Immigration
He supports changes to the law that will require illegal immigrants to become legal. They must pay taxes, learn English, and pass criminal background checks. This process won't be easy or quick, but it will be fair and practical. Individuals who came to this country illegally will be bumped to the back of the line behind those who waited to come to this country legally. And illegal immigrants with a criminal record would be deported. Those who refuse to register and meet these conditions also should be deported.

Military and Veterans
To ensure that our military has the best resources to accomplish its missions, he submitted over $250 million in congressionally-directed defense spending requests this year, focusing on three priorities: 1) life saving technology that can be fleeted to the war fighter in a relatively short timeframe; 2) medical technology that will save lives on the battlefield or restore lives of the injured; and 3) "green" high-efficiency technology that will improve in-theatre logistical capabilities. I believe that funding these projects will result in sound, tangible and important products that support and protect our war fighters, care for and rehabilitate the injured, and significantly improve in-theatre operations.

Transportation
The economic and environmental health of Maryland and our nation is interconnected with the growth of our transportation systems. Federal investment in public transportation like MARC, Metro, and Amtrak should be a national priority. Our nation receives extraordinary public benefit from mass transit systems.

Education
Investing in education is an investment in America's future and the next generation of America's leaders. Each child's future depends on access to quality education, and our nation's success in the global marketplace depends on an educated workforce that can compete internationally. As a member of the Senate Budget Committee, I am committed to increasing funding for early education, teacher and principal training, programs to improve reading skills, science and math education, drop-out prevention programs, and college aid.

Health Care
We are the richest nation in the world, yet more than 47 million Americans are without health coverage. The rising number of uninsured Americans affects all of us through higher medical costs, higher premiums, and worse outcomes. Health coverage must be universal with options for those who cannot afford or do not have access to private insurance. It also must give small businesses an affordable way to cover their employees.

Iraq and Afghanistan
America has turned a corner. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I have confidence that the Obama Administration will continue to restore balance to our foreign policy and global diplomacy while formulating the most responsible and honorable way to bring our troops home from Iraq as we redirect resources to the forgotten front on the fight against terror in Afghanistan and the border region of Pakistan.