The Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin
United States Senator
Democrat, Maryland
Benjamin L. Cardin has been a national leader on health care, retirement security and fiscal issues since coming to Congress in 1987. In 2006, he was elected by the people of Maryland 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 Committee, Budget Committee and Small Business Committee.
The Washington Post has said that Mr. Cardin is "sensible, tough-minded and independent" and that he will be a natural leader in the U.S. Senate "by dint of his command of issues, proven integrity, formidable intellect and unstinting work ethic." The Baltimore Sun has said, "He has been able to work both sides of the aisle" to help workers save for retirement and to champion the expansion of Medicare benefits.
In 2001, Mr. Cardin was named by Worth Magazine as among the top "100 people who have influenced the way Americans think about money." In 2004, he was named to Treasury and Risk Management's list of "100 Most Influential People in Finance." He received a grade of "A" from the NAACP, and a 100% rating from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights for his votes in the 109th Congress. In the 108th Congress, he also received a 100% rating from the League of Conservation Voters for his commitment to environmental health and safety, and a 100% rating from the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda for his voting record.
Sen. Cardin represented Maryland's Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987-2006. In the House, he served on the Ways & Means Committee, Budget Committee, Public Works & Transportation Committee, Judiciary Committee, Ethics Committee, House Administration and the Select Committee on Homeland Security. In the House, he also served as the senior Democrat on the Trade Subcommittee and Human Resources Subcommittee of the Ways & Means Committee.
Mr. Cardin has a long-standing interest in foreign affairs and human rights. He has been a Commissioner on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the U.S. Helsinki Commission) since 1993, serving as Ranking Member from 2003-2006. In the 110th Congress, he has been appointed co-chairman of the Commission, and is currently Vice President of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly.
As a member of the House, his legislation to increase the amount Americans can save for retirement was enacted into law in 2001. His proposal to expand Medicare to include preventive benefits such as colorectal, prostate, mammogram, and osteoporosis screening was also enacted into law. He also authored legislation to fund graduate medical education, guarantee coverage for emergency health services, and improve the Medicare drug benefit for seniors.