[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 183 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6896-S6900]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Farewell to the Senate
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to say good-bye,
as difficult as this may be.
Marylanders have trusted me to represent them for 20 years in the
Maryland General Assembly, 8 years as speaker of the house, 20 years in
the House of Representatives, and 18 years in the U.S. Senate,
including now chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Let me start by thanking Marylanders for giving me your trust to
represent you in this august body. You have supported me in 18
elections. The Hebrew letter for 18 is chai, which also means life--58
years of my life.
My grandparents came to this country over 100 years ago to escape the
pogroms of Europe, and they settled in
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Baltimore and built a life for their family. Their grandson now serves
in the U.S. Senate. This is a great country.
Marylanders have allowed me to pursue my ambition of public service,
to help others whose voices and needs are often ignored in the halls of
power. In my family, I was taught from a young age that it is our
responsibility to make the world a better place--tikkun olam, repair
the world--and help those who are less fortunate and are in need--
tzedakah, charity.
These principles were demonstrated to me by the communal activities
of my parents. These principles--these values--have been my North Star
that has guided my public service as a legislator. Of course, the work
of a legislator is not always easy. It requires perseverance, patience,
a sense of humor, and optimism that we can make the world a better
place, even in the face of often horrible, seemingly insurmountable
challenges.
But as I look back at my time here, it is the hardest battles that
were some of the most rewarding. Each one reflects the values I cherish
and the collective will to help make the world around us and our
communities a better place to live.
On the Senate Finance Committee, I have had a front seat advancing
health policy. I was fortunate to serve with the champion of
healthcare, Senator Ted Kennedy. He was a mentor to me as to steps we
can take so that all Americans have access to affordable, quality
healthcare.
Healthcare should be a right for everyone in this country and not a
privilege only for those who can afford it.
I was proud to be part of the Congress that passed the Affordable
Care Act. That law included my legislation that elevated the National
Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities at NIH. As much
progress as this has brought, the struggle for healthcare equality
continues.
Today, Medicare coverage includes legislation I authored for
screening and preventive care, saving lives and dollars. And all health
insurance now covers pediatric dental care, which was legislation I
authored after the tragic death of Demonte Driver, a 12-year-old in
Maryland whose life could have been saved with a simple tooth
extraction.
I partnered with Senator Rob Portman in both the House and in the
Senate to expand retirement security, particularly for lower wage
workers. Thanks to legislation we coauthored that has been enacted into
law, more employers are providing opportunities for their employees to
participate in retirement plans. Our legislation included a saver's
credit for lower wage workers and automatic enrollment provisions that
have dramatically increased participation by employees. In the last 10
years, participation in retirement savings for the lowest income
quintile of Americans has increased by 135 percent.
In affordable housing and economic development in underserved
communities, I have worked with Senator Cantwell on improvements to the
low-income housing tax credit. I have authored successful legislation
to expand the new markets tax credits and historic tax credits, which
have been used for economic development and affordable housing
opportunities across Maryland and our Nation.
Examples of the use of these tools in Maryland include the Justice
Thurgood Marshall Center in Baltimore, the Natty Boh building in
Baltimore, and the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center in Annapolis. And, yes,
just yesterday, Senator Van Hollen and I were at the Southern Stream
Health and Wellness Center, which used new markets tax credits with
Bishop Hickman, which is energizing and revitalizing communities in
East Baltimore.
On the Environment and Public Works Committee, I have had the
opportunity to expand the Federal Government's commitment to our
infrastructure. The recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law
included many of my priorities. For example, it included funding for
reconnecting communities that had been divided and disadvantaged
through ill-conceived transportation projects. The poster child for
this initiative is the Franklin-Mulberry corridor in Baltimore. It was
not surprising that Baltimore received funding in the first round of
Federal grants.
I am equally proud of the expansion of the Transportation
Alternatives Program, or TAP. I was the author of the TAP program,
which allows governments to make their own priority decisions on the
use of part of the Federal highway funds. That has been a favorite
source of funds to provide trails for local communities that connect
neighborhoods for walkers and bikers, including, for example, the
rehabilitation of the C&O Towpath in Washington, Frederick, and
Montgomery Counties.
Myrna and I take advantage of these paths to absorb the beauty of our
communities that are now connected through paths and trails.
Older communities still have lead pipes bringing drinking water into
their homes and schools, threatening the health of our children. The
bipartisan infrastructure law provides significant help to eliminate
this public health threat, including $82 million in Federal grants for
Maryland. It also provides unprecedented increases in transit funding,
a priority of mine which is particularly important to traditionally
underserved and underrepresented communities.
This law allows Maryland to move forward again with the transit Red
Line in Baltimore. Funding for Amtrak enabled Baltimore to begin
construction of the Frederick Douglass Tunnel to expedite travel along
the Northeast corridor.
One of my top priorities as a Maryland Senator has been to promote
the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and the Federal partnership has been
essential in this cause. The bay is a national treasure, the largest
estuary in our hemisphere and iconic to Maryland. It is in our DNA,
particularly important to our economy and our way of life.
I first started fighting for the bay in the Maryland General
Assembly. When I was speaker of the house, I partnered with Governor
Harry Hughes to establish the multi-State effort to save the bay. It
led to the partnership with six States and the District of Columbia and
the Federal Bay Program.
Maryland Senators have taken the Federal lead, starting with Senator
Mac Matthias, then Senators Paul Sarbanes and Barbara Mikulski, and now
Senator Chris Van Hollen and myself.
During my years in the Senate, I have worked with my colleagues to
increase funds for the bay, including the EPA, NOAA, the Army Corps of
Engineers, wastewater treatment funds, watershed grant funds,
agriculture land preservation funds, oyster restoration funds, removal
of invasive species--from the nutria to the blue catfish--and many,
many more.
I particularly want to note with pride funding for Poplar Island and
Mid-Bay--location for dredging disposals--that have been used for
environmental restoration and a noncontroversial location necessary to
keep our channels commercially competitive.
Our work on the Chesapeake Bay is working and has become a global
model of multijurisdictional cooperation.
The Environment and Public Works Committee helps each region of our
country that suffers from a catastrophic event that destroys
infrastructure. I thank the leadership of the committee for reaching
out to Maryland after the tragic loss of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The Biden administration has been there every step of the way to help
Maryland, and I am confident that Congress will provide the resources
and authority to move forward on the construction of the new bridge as
quickly as possible.
I have been both a chair and ranking member on the Small Business and
Entrepreneurship Committee. I am so proud of the bipartisan work of the
committee, working with Senator Rubio, particularly during COVID. The
historic relief packages we designed not only saved many small
businesses but truly helped to save our economy during the pandemic.
I am particularly proud of the focus I brought to help traditionally
underserved communities. Senator Warner and I worked to provide support
for the CDFIs so financing options were available in underbanked
communities. Including nonprofits and returning citizens to the program
once again provided help and services in often forgotten neighborhoods.
During my chairmanship, Maryland expanded from one to four women's
business centers. Two are located at
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HBCUs. In addition, Maryland opened its first Veterans Business
Outreach Center. Because of these programs, small businesses are
thriving in Maryland, especially those led by women and, particularly,
women of color.
My service in Congress built on my record of inclusion started with
my service in the Maryland General Assembly. As a Baltimore City
legislator, I fought for equalization in State educational funds to
favor poorer property wealth jurisdictions, such as Baltimore City. I
helped develop the Maryland hospital all-payer rate system for equal
healthcare access regardless of economic circumstances. Under this
system, Maryland has avoided having charity hospitals. As a Member of
the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, I have helped
preserve and strengthen the Maryland hospital rate system.
I was the leader in the State of Maryland for the development of the
Circuit Breaker Property Tax Credit Program, which allows seniors to
remain in their homes.
And as speaker of the house, I appointed the first woman and the
first African American to chair a standing committee.
One of my proudest accomplishments as a legislator came in the U.S.
Senate. It was the passage and enactment of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule
of Law Accountability Act. This law was inspired by the death of Sergei
Magnitsky, a Russian tax attorney who was murdered, 15 years ago last
month, for uncovering corruption. His story has been told to the world
by his client Bill Browder and came to my attention as the chair of the
Helsinki Commission.
When I was first elected to Congress in 1987, my family was deeply
involved in the cause of getting Soviet Jews out of the Soviet Union.
My wife Myrna was a leader of the Maryland Committee for Soviet Jewry.
My close friend, Representative Steny Hoyer, chaired the U.S. Helsinki
Commission that took up the cause of Soviet Jews and gave me the
opportunity to become involved. Steny and I traveled together to
several countries behind the Iron Curtain to give hope to those who
were living in countries where their leaders denied their citizens
basic human rights.
So when Sergei Magnitsky was killed, it was clear to me that those
who violated his basic rights needed to be held accountable, even if
the Russian Government refused to act. The Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law
Accountability Act targeted those individuals who were complicit in his
jailing and murder. It blocked these individuals from enjoying the
benefits of America, from traveling to our country and using our
banking system. It put their reputation, ability to travel, and access
to their assets at risk.
These policies were influenced by Senator Scoop Jackson's
legislation, the Jackson-Vanik Law, that denied trade privileges to
countries that blocked their citizens from emigrating. When Jackson-
Vanik was repealed because its purpose had been accomplished, it was
appropriate that that legislation was used as the vehicle to replace
Jackson-Vanik with Magnitsky.
The original Magnitsky Law focused on human rights abuses in Russia,
and, in 2016, I authored the Global Magnitsky Human Rights
Accountability Act, which expanded the legislation around the world.
These laws have given birth to a whole new international legal
framework for upholding human rights and deterring corrupt actors. The
European Union and other governments around the world have replicated
the Magnitsky system. As of this year, the U.S. program has sanctioned
more than 650 foreign persons and entities.
But I have to underline a really important point. These laws were not
easy to pass. The pushback from Russia alone was historic and continues
to this day. But it was the bipartisan support that allowed these bills
to make it through the process. I want to acknowledge Senators Dick
Lugar, John McCain, and Roger Wicker, my partners in getting the
Magnitsky Laws enacted. As a result, they have not only been enacted,
but they have been very effective.
Despite setbacks and opposition, we never gave up hope, and, today,
corrupt leaders fear the Magnitsky sanctions. The safety of human
rights defenders has benefited from these laws.
Over and over again, in my work as a legislator, I have seen the
importance of never giving up. Across my years in Congress, I have seen
what I thought would be a dream come true. I have seen the Soviet Jews
liberated from the former Soviet Union, the Berlin Wall torn down,
former communist-controlled countries now NATO allies, and political
prisoners released to freedom. It is great to see my friend Vladimir
Kara-Murza free from being imprisoned in Russia.
As Vaclav Havel, the reform leader of the Czech Republic, said,
``There is only one thing I will not concede: that it might be
meaningless to strive in a good cause.'' Each of us can make a
difference. Never give up hope.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, ``Everybody can be great, because
everybody can serve.''
As my friend and classmate in the House of Representatives--along
with my classmate Kweisi Mfume--Representative John Lewis, said, we
should all be willing to get into ``good trouble.''
As that famous philosopher from Baltimore, Babe Ruth, stated, ``Never
let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.''
I often speak about the need for a value-based approach to
policymaking. This has rung true in healthcare and the environment,
promoting a dignified retirement, creating economic opportunities for
all. Perhaps nowhere has this been more fundamental than when it comes
to foreign policy and national security.
President Biden got it right when he spoke about our international
engagement. He said:
We must start with diplomacy rooted in America's most
[cherished] democratic values: defending freedom, championing
opportunity, upholding universal rights, respecting the rule
of law, and treating every person with dignity.
As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I made promoting
value-based foreign policy decisions a top priority. In addition to the
Magnitsky Act, I am especially proud of my work with Todd Young on the
Combating Global Corruption Act that was enacted in 2023. That
legislation requires each of our Embassies around the world to evaluate
how effective the country in which our Embassy is located is in
fighting corruption. The model used for this legislation is similar to
the trafficking in persons tier rankings and reports, with consequences
against countries that are not making acceptable progress to improve
their rankings against human trafficking.
Leading globally against human trafficking and corruption is
America's value-based foreign policy at its finest. America's strength
is in our values. We need to lead globally with our strength.
My ability to promote legislation and policies that uphold core
universal values was made possible because of my incredible partners,
because of their deep values and commitment. There is no way I could
have achieved what I have been able to achieve if it weren't for my
incredible staff. Their loyalty, their dedication to public service,
and their talent made the Cardin Team.
In 38 years in Congress, I have only had two chiefs--Dave Koshgarian
and Chris Lynch. Both led by example and recruited the very best to
public service.
For over 25 years, Debbie Yamada has attempted to manage the
impossible--me.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record
a complete list of the staff I have been blessed to have during my
terms in the U.S. Senate.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record as follows:
Senator Ben Cardin's Staff
House and Senate
Derek Abrams, Femeia Adamson, Geoffrey Alexander, Audrey
Allen, Kevin Alvarez, Beatrice Amoateng, Nina Anand, Michelle
Ash, Carleton Atkinson, Elizabeth Baden, Bhavjeet Basson,
Katharine Beamer, Beth Bell, Jill Berger, Shameka Bloyce,
Tommy Bredar, Carol Brey, Helen Brocato, Royce Brooks,
Shailee Bruck, Andy Buchsbaum, Katie Byerly, LaJuan Calhoun,
Heather Campbell, David Carroll.
Sean Cavanaugh, Staphanie Chin, Mark Clack, Benjamin Clark,
Erin Clarke, Katherine Close, Renee Cohen, Jonathan Cohen,
Joel Cohen, Andre Coleman, Angel Colon-Rivera, Jessica Cook,
Titus Cornell, Katie
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Corr, Shayna Cram, Martha Cramer, Loraine Crompton, Debbie
Curtis, Amy Daiger, Jennifer Dailey, Destiny Davis, Gil de
Jesus, Sandra Delaney, Meera Dheer, Megan Dickey.
Teresa Dingboom, Amy diRusso, Nia Duggins, Geni Dunnells,
Lauren Dunnock, Venetta Edwards, Andy Elias, Michael Enright,
Danny Evans, Lienna Feleke-Eshete, Karen Fields, Bailey Fine,
Philip Flannery, Weezie Foster, Chris Fowler, Shannon Frede,
Nellie Freeman, Daniel Friedman, Michelle Galdamez, Laura
Gamble, Flannery Geoghegan, Caleb Gibson, Sarah Gisriel,
Caroline Goodbody, Linda Grahne.
Max Green, Sarah Greenberger, Walt Greenhalgh, Jesse
Haladay, Stephen Ham, Peter Hammen, Tiffany Hannon, Denise
Harrison, Jarryd Hawkins, Margo Hecht, Bill Henry, Mike
Henry, Jonathan Heppen, Yvonne Hernandez, Jim Hettleman,
Shelly Hettleman, Julia Hooks, Alexandra Hughes, Anne Irby,
Jolene Ivey, Joshua Izaak, Ann Jacobs, Lauren Jee, Rachel
Jessee, Dina Johns.
Emily Johnson, Katherine Johnson, Rachel Jones, Dana Jones,
Matthew Kasper, Sue Kopen Katcef, Jenn Kaufmann, Matt
Kearney, David Klein, Josh Klein, Stephen Knable, Shane
Knisley, Dave Koshgarian, Sam Koshgarian, Rori Kramer,
Kimberly Kratovil, Vikram (Vik) Kulkarni, Flip Kreitner,
Patricia Kullen, Aiko Lane, Jordan Law, Annalisa Leandri, Ann
Lee, Renae Lee, Liz Leibowitz.
Joyce Leviton, Roderick Lewis, Unice Lieberman, Arnell
Limberry, Paige Linardi, Alicia Linthicum-Amos, Chris Lynch,
Lindsey MacGregor, Kevin Mack, Colin Maczka, Joe Mastrangelo,
Bill Mathias, Hammad Matin, Chris Matthai, Gray Maxwell, Sean
McClintock, Joe McKelvey, Sean McKew, Marlon Medrano, Tomas
Melia, Tom Melia, Elise Mellinger, Alexandra Menardy, Ian
Mendelsohn, Amanda Mendoza.
Dawana Merritt, Rob Metz, Ryan Middleton, Michele Moghis,
Katherine Monge, Elysa Montfort, Sean Moore, Michael Morgan,
Demetrius Morris, Erin Morton, Mary Jo Neville, Jonathan Ng,
Aaron Ng, Anh Nguyen, Bianca Oden, Jinmi Odunlami, Katie
O'Neill, Stephanie Oviedo, Sanjay Palat, Shivani Pampati,
Lydia Parker, Marga Pasternak, Bill Paton, Brianna Patterson.
Corinne Paul, Ashley Peddicord-Austin, Alex Pederson, Lynn
Pekkanen, Jessica Pellegrino, Carolyn Perlmutter, Andrew
Perlstein, Chris Pumphrey, Ken Reichard, Andrew Remo, Joyce
Revell, Edgar Rodriguez, Lucia Rodriguez, Helen Rogers, Joan
Rombro, Erwin Rose, Lauren Rosenthal, Priscilla Ross, Algene
Sajery, Isaac Salazar, Abdul Sanee, Joe Sangillo, Valli
Sanmugalingam, Rita Santibanez, Sandy Sause.
Mariel Schwartz, Jodi Schwartz, Joe Scovitch, Lily Anna
Segalman, Habiba Shebita, David Shulman, Oren Shur, Tessa
Silverman, Katie Sloan, Kyle Smith, Arnold Solamillos,
Danyelle Solomon, Sierra Solomon, Paul Somers, Matthew
Spikes, Charlie Stek, Jerome Stephens, Sarah Stevens, Ron
Storhaug, Susan Sullam, Robin Summerfield, Kelly Swaine, Dea
Thomas, Mike Thomas.
William Tucker, Jen Tuddenham, James Ulwick, Juan Urcia-
Barea, Bill Van Horne, Thalia Venetoulis, Mary Vrabel, Susan
Walitsky, Suzanne Walsh, Troy Ware, Claire Warner, Jonathan
Weadon, Lara Weinstein, Martin Welch, Lee Whaley, Elise
Whorton, Jayson Williams, Sarita Williams, Dexter Williams,
Dave Wilson, Michael Wolfe, Debbie Yamada, June Zhu, and Tim
Zink.
Mr. CARDIN. Our staff works long hours for less compensation than
many of them could make in the private sector because of their
commitment to public service.
To my staff, you have made Team Cardin a championship team.
I also want to salute the people who make this institution work. My
heartfelt thanks to the floor staff, committee staffs, security staff,
and all those who work behind the scenes to make the Senate work. I
recognize and salute your dedication.
As I said at the beginning, I don't want to say goodbye. This is
especially true of my colleagues, my Senate family--and you are family.
These past 18 years have been the honor of my life. You have my undying
gratitude for partnering with me to serve our country.
I started in the Senate in 2007 with a class of 10 new Senators.
Senators Webb, McCaskill, and Corker are no longer in the Senate. I
regret that Senators Tester, Brown, and Casey will be leaving with me
at the end of this term. To the remaining three--Senators Klobuchar,
Sanders, and Whitehouse--we count on you to carry on our class
traditions.
I was blessed to have two seat mates during my 18 years in the Senate
who are trusted friends. Senator Barbara Mikulski welcomed me to the
Senate and made my transition so productive. Senator Chris Van Hollen
and I have worked in unity for the people of Maryland. I know that he
will continue to serve the people well as the senior Senator along with
newly elected Angela Alsobrooks.
But the partners that made public service possible for me are my
family. Myrna and I met in elementary school. Last month, we celebrated
our 60th wedding anniversary--amazing that she put up with all those
years. She is my strongest supporter. I could not have had the career
that I had without her unconditional support and confidence.
Myrna shares my commitment of giving back to the community, and she
keeps me properly grounded. When I became speaker of the house, she
sent me a card to remind me of this. The card read: ``To the rest of
the world you may be a roaring lion, but in this house, you are just a
pussycat.''
(Laughter.)
I put that card on my desk in Annapolis as a constant reminder.
My son of blessed memory and my daughter Deborah supported my public
career, never complaining about the family sacrifices they had to make,
and I know there were many.
Finally, some parting advice. I know that many people across this
country and around the world are concerned about the direction of the
United States, but I am optimistic we will get through these
challenges.
Now, some people might say: Optimistic? How can that be?
They read the news and say: What about our justice system? What about
the rule of law? What about our democracy? What about the threat of
autocracies around the world and here at home? What about the
resurgence of corrupt, blatantly transactional politics?
I recognize these threats. I am not naive to the dangers and
challenges as we all look ahead. There are many challenges ahead of us,
but we must not give up hope.
The Senate--this body of 100 Members in a nation of 335 million
Americans--sustains my hope. In a 6-year term representing constituents
across the United States, we have the time and resources to engage each
other. We have the time to constructively work across the aisle to find
areas of common agreement.
There is no institution like this in the world. It is a great honor
to be a Senator, but it comes with responsibilities--to debate and vote
on important issues of our times.
Over the last 18 years, I have seen firsthand how the Senate works
best when we work together. I cited many examples of my successful
efforts to do just that--working across the aisle to enact pension
reform, small business COVID relief, advancing value-based foreign
policy, and many more.
We don't have to agree on every single issue, and we never will, but
when we defend the constitutional powers of this institution and the
prerogatives of the legislative branch together, we create positive
results for this country. The Senate is where the rubber meets the
road. It is the dividing line between democracy and autocracy.
To my colleagues in the Senate, you play an important role in our
democratic check and balance system. Never has it been more important
for us to fight to protect our democracy, to defend the rule of law,
and to stand up for our common values.
As Senators, you need to demonstrate to the American public by your
actions that you can practice civility, that differences can be
resolved constructively without harsh terms. We need to remember that
compromise was how our Nation was formed. It can be a good thing and
bring people together.
Compromise on policy but never on principles or values. Treat people
with respect even when you disagree. I made that the guiding principle
in my office. My staff call it Cardinesque.
Finally, let us all make it a priority to promote better knowledge
and understanding of history, civic engagement, and, again, civility.
Whether promoting American values or investing in domestic priorities
here at home, I ask you to let your values guide you to leave our world
and our community a fairer place, a healthier place, a more peaceful
place, a more prosperous place for all to benefit. Let that be our
North Star.
I yield the floor.
(Applause, Senators rising.)
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
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