Senator Ben Cardin

A third-generation Marylander, Senator Ben Cardin has dedicated his life to public service. He currently serves as Maryland’s senior United States senator, and he is the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he where he works across party lines to further U.S. national security and to ensure that good governance, transparency, anti-corruption and respect for human rights are integrated into American foreign policy.

In his work for civil rights and equity, Cardin has sought to find a balance between protection of civil liberties and national security. He has led legislation to prohibit racial and religious profiling by all levels of law enforcement, restore voting rights for former felons, and remove the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

He believes quality, accessible health care is a right of all Americans and led the fight for the Patients’ Bill of Rights in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He was responsible for the elevation of the National Institute for Minority Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health and the guarantee of dental care for children through CHIP and the ACA.

Senator Cardin is a strident defender of the Chesapeake Bay, and he fights for federal policies to improve our economy, create job opportunities and support small businesses, while bolstering our middle class and most vulnerable citizens.