Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

Benjamin L. Cardin
MSA SC 3520-1986

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, October 5, 1943.  Attended Baltimore public schools; Baltimore City College, 1961; University of Pittsburgh, B.A., cum laude, 1964; University of Maryland School of Law, LL.B., 1967, first in class.  Admitted to the Maryland Bar, 1967.  Married, Myrna Edelman; two children.

Federal Service:
Member of U.S. Senate since January 4, 2007. Member, Budget Committee, 2007-; Environment and Public Works Committee, 2007- (superfund & environmental health subcommittee, 2007-08; transportation & infrastructure subcommittee, 2007-; transportation safety, infrastructure security & water quality subcommittee, 2007-08; clean air & nuclear safety subcommittee, 2009-; chair, water & wildlife subcommittee, 2009-); Foreign Relations Committee, 2007- (african affairs subcommittee, 2007-; european affairs subcommittee, 2007-08; near eastern & south & central asian affairs subcommittee, 2007-; international development & foreign assistance, economic affairs & international environmental protection subcommittee, 2009-; western hemisphere, peace corps & global narcotic affairs subcommittee, 2009-); Judiciary Committee, 2007- (antitrust, competition policy, & consumer rights subcommittee, 2007-08; constitution subcommittee, 2007-; human rights & the law subcommittee, 2007-08; terrorism, technology, & homeland security subcommittee, 2007-08; administrative oversight & the courts subcommittee, 2009-; crime & drugs subcommittee, 2009-; chair, terrorism & homeland security subcommittee, 2009-); Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, 2007-. Co-Chair, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), 2007-.

Member of U.S. House of Representatives, 3rd Congressional District (parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore & Howard counties, & Baltimore City), Maryland, January 1987 to January 4, 2007. Senior Democratic Whip, 2003-07 (assistant democratic whip, 1987-2003). Member, Ways and Means Committee, 1989-2007 (trade subcommittee, 2005-07; human resources subcommittee, 1999-2007; social security subcommittee, 1999-2005; health subcommittee, 1989-99). Member, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), 1993-2007 (ranking member); Select Committee on Homeland Security, 2003-07. Member, Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, 2004-07. Member, Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, 1991-97; Budget Committee, 1997-2004. Co-Chair, Bipartisan Ethics Task Force, 1997. Steering Committee, Democratic Caucus, 1993-2007. Chair, Democratic Transition Team, 1994. Chair, Organization, Study and Review Committee, Democratic Caucus, 1995-2007. Member, Steering Committee, Democratic Caucus. Member, Tax Policy and the Budget Tax Force, Democratic Caucus. Chair, General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology, and Environment of Parliamentary Assembly, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 2003-07.

General Assembly:
House of Delegates, Baltimore City, 1966-86.  Chair, Ways and Means Committee, 1974-78; Joint Committee for Tax Reform, 1975-77.  Speaker of the House of Delegates, 1979-86.  Co-chair, Legislative Policy Committee.  Member, Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics Rules and Executive Nominations Committee.
 

Private Career and Other Public Service;
Member, Presidential Advisory Committee on Federalism, 1981. Member, Governor's Commission on Domestic Relations Laws, 1976-86; Maryland Veterans Home Commission, 1979-86; State Commission on the Capital City, 1979-86; State House Trust, 1979-86; Governor's Advisory Commission on Reapportionment and Redistricting, 1981; Interstate Banking Committee, 1982-83; Golden Age Card Task Force, 1982-83; Governor's Employment and Training Council, 1983-84; Western Maryland Enterprise Study Committee, 1983-86; Task Force on Health-Care Cost Containment, 1984; Fiscal Review Committee, 1984-86; Governor's Commission on Excellence in Higher Education, 1985. Board of Trustees, St. Mary's College of Maryland, 1988-99. Board of Visitors, University of Maryland School of Law, 1989-. Chair, Special Study Commission on the Maryland Public Ethics Law, 1998. Board of Visitors, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1998-. Member, Congressional Advisory Committee, Women's Health Research Coalition, 1999-. Member, Advisory Board, Center for the Study of Democracy, St. Mary's College of Maryland, 2002-. Board of Visitors, U.S. Naval Academy, 2007-.

Attorney. Member, Maryland State Bar Association. Board of Trustees, Baltimore Museum of Art, 1980-86, 1988-94. Board of Trustees, University of Maryland Alumni Association-International, 1982-88. Board of Directors, Associated Jewish Charities and Welfare Fund, 1985-89. Director, Re-Visions Foundation Inc., 1988-94. Chair, Maryland Legal Services Corporation, 1988-95. Delegate, Democratic Party National Convention, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008. Board of Trustees, Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs, 1999-; Goucher College, 1999-; Baltimore City Historical Society, 2002-. Honorary degrees from University of Baltimore School of Law, 1990; University of Maryland at Baltimore, 1993; Baltimore Hebrew University, 1994; and Goucher College, 1996. Pro Bono Publico Award, American Bar Association, 1989. Israel Freedom Award, 1992. Representative of Year, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 1993. Congressional award, Small Business Council of America, 1993, 1999. Heinz National Leadership Award, Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, 1994. Hunting S. Williams Award, Coalition for a Lead-Safe Environment, 1995. Public Policy Leadership Award, Digestive Disease National Coalition, 1996. Living Stream Award, Maryland Save Our Streams, 1996. H. Vernon Eney Award, Maryland Bar Foundation, 1996. Representative of the Year Award, National Association of Police Organizations, 1998. "Deficit Hawk" Honor Roll, Concord Coalition, 1998, 1999. Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Public Service, American Medical Association, 1999. Jacob K. Javits Award, American Psychiatric Association, 1999. National Leadership Award for Service to Children and Families, Casey Family Services, 2000. Congressional Advocate of the Year Award, Child Welfare League of America, 2000, 2005. Named among top "100 people who have influenced the way Americans think about money" by Worth Magazine, 2001. Congressional Leadership Award, American College of Emergency Physicians, 2001. Congressional Champion Award, National Coalition for Cancer Research, 2002. Outstanding Leadership Award, American Occupational Therapy Association, 2003. Congressional Service Award, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 2003. Public Sector Distinguished Service Award, Tax Foundation, 2003. Public Service Award, Towson Business Association, 2004. Named in "100 Most Influential People in Finance" by Treasury and Risk Management Magazine, 2004. Congressional Award, Small Business Council of America, 2005. Maryland Leadership in Law Award, Daily Record, 2008. Elizabeth and David Scull Metropolitan Public Service Award, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, 2008. Congressional Champion Award, National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems, 2008. Leadership Award, Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition, 2009. Congressional Voice for Children Award, National Parent Teacher Association, 2009. Friend of Farm Bureau Award, Maryland Farm Bureau, 2009.

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