A third-generation Marylander, Ben Cardin has been a national leader on health care, retirement security, the environment and fiscal issues while representing the people of Maryland in the U.S. Senate, and before that in the House of Representatives. He has worked across party lines to further U.S. national security and to ensure that good governance, transparency and respect for human rights are integrated into American foreign policy.
First elected to the Senate in 2006, Senator Cardin currently serves as Chair of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, which is at the forefront of rebuilding our economy. He is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations, Finance, and Environment & Public Works committees.
Maryland is home to tens of thousands of active, reserve and retired military. These Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have our utmost respect and appreciation. I will stand with them when they fight on the front lines and when they return to the home front. I remain steadfast in my commitment to provide our Nation’s military with the resources it needs to accomplish its mission, and to provide our military families with the first-class benefits, pay and health care that they deserve. I will continue to advocate for the mental wellness of our troops and their families.
Maryland is also home to 15 military bases ranging from the U.S. Naval Academy, which trains our future naval officers, to the Aberdeen Proving Ground, which tests and develops our future military technology. Crossing the state from Patuxent to Fort Detrick, we are proud of the home that we provide to our military and will do everything possible to protect our facilities from any future changes in our national military profile, and ensure continued funding for research and development in our military labs.