Ben Cardin

Ben Cardin
source
Name	Ben Cardin
Caption	Official portrait, 2023
State	Maryland
Jr/sr	United States Senator
Alongside	Chris Van Hollen
Term start	January 3, 2007
Predecessor	Paul Sarbanes
State1	Maryland
District1	3rd
Term start1	January 3, 1987
Term end1	January 3, 2007
Predecessor1	Barbara Mikulski
Successor1	John Sarbanes
Office2	Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
Term start2	1979
Term end2	1987
Predecessor2	John Hanson Briscoe
Successor2	Clayton Mitchell
Birth date	5 October 1943
Birth place	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Myrna Edelman, 1964
Education	University of Pittsburgh (BA), University of Maryland (JD)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army Reserve
Serviceyears	1967–1973

Ben Cardin is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States Senator from Maryland since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the U.S. Representative for Maryland's 3rd congressional district from 1987 to 2007 and as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1979 to 1987. Throughout his career in the United States Congress, Cardin has been a prominent figure on issues of taxation, healthcare, and foreign policy.

Early life and education

Benjamin Louis Cardin was born on October 5, 1943, in Baltimore, to parents of Lithuanian Jewish descent. His family has a long history in Maryland politics; his uncle, Meyer Cardin, served as a judge on the Baltimore City Supreme Bench, and his father, Meyer M. Cardin, was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Cardin attended Baltimore City College before earning a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Pittsburgh in 1964. He subsequently received a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1967 and was admitted to the Maryland bar.

Early political career

Cardin’s political career began in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he was first elected in 1966, becoming one of the youngest members ever to serve in that body. He rose through the ranks, chairing the influential Ways and Means Committee before being elected Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1979, succeeding John Hanson Briscoe. During his tenure as Speaker, which lasted until 1987, he focused on state budget issues, education funding, and ethics reform. His leadership in Annapolis established him as a formidable figure in Maryland Democratic politics.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 1986, Cardin was elected to the United States House of Representatives, succeeding Barbara Mikulski in representing Maryland's 3rd congressional district. He served for two decades, from 1987 to 2007, and gained a reputation as a policy expert. He served on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, where he was a leading voice on pension reform and international trade. Cardin was a principal author of the landmark Pension Protection Act of 2006 and was a consistent advocate for Medicare and Social Security protections. He also served as a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

U.S. Senate

Cardin was elected to the United States Senate in 2006, succeeding retiring Senator Paul Sarbanes. He took office on January 3, 2007, and has since been re-elected in 2012 and 2018. In the Senate, he has chaired the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He also serves as the Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission). His committee assignments have included the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where he has focused on Chesapeake Bay restoration.

Political positions and legislation

Cardin is known as a liberal Democrat with a focus on domestic social programs and a strong internationalist foreign policy. He was a key supporter of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and has advocated for expanding Medicaid. He co-authored the Cardin-Lugar Amendment to the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which requires resource extraction companies to disclose payments to foreign governments. A staunch supporter of NATO and a critic of Russia under Vladimir Putin, he has been a leading voice for human rights and democracy promotion, authoring the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. On environmental issues, he has been a chief advocate for the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Personal life

Cardin married Myrna Edelman in 1964, and they have two children, Michael and Deborah, and several grandchildren. He resides in Baltimore and is a member of Beth Tfiloh Congregation. Cardin served in the United States Army Reserve from 1967 to 1973. An avid supporter of the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens, he maintains close ties to the Baltimore community. In 2023, he announced he would not seek re-election in 2024.

Category:1943 births Category:Living people Category:American military personnel Category:Democratic Party United States senators Category:Politicians from Baltimore