Anne Arundel Today

WASHINGTON, DC – On May 2, 2023, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) issued the following statement after Senator Ben Cardin announced that he will not run for re-election in 2024:

“My Friend Ben” was a great campaign slogan and, much more importantly for me, a reality in my life. Over the years – from our election to the General Assembly in 1966 to our service together in Congress from 1986 to this date – he and his wife Myrna not only became the closest of friends but also two people whom I have greatly respected and loved.

Ben has maintained the same conviction, dedication, and humility that he displayed fifty-five years ago. In that time, we have celebrated victories, weathered challenges, and grown together as public servants and as friends. Although Ben recently announced that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate at the end of this term, I know that his service to Maryland and the country will endure long into the future.

Ben has an impressive list of accomplishments – one that is far too long to recount in full. He is one of the most talented legislators I have known, possessing a deep understanding of both the technical policy details of the legislation he sponsors and supports and the political dynamics necessary to advance them. From helping American small businesses survive the recent pandemic with the American Rescue Plan to expanding Marylanders and Americans' access to quality health care through the Affordable Care Act, Ben played an indispensable role in enacting historic laws that will continue to make a positive impact for generations to come.  

Serving with Ben on the U.S. Helsinki Commission for many years, I saw firsthand his work to protect human rights and to ensure that our foreign policy always reflects our American values – especially through his Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. That policy remains a vital sanctioning tool for both America and our partners around the world.

Although Ben's service continues to make a difference around the world, it is felt most profoundly right here in Maryland. We enjoy a cleaner Chesapeake Bay because of his work on the environment, shorter commutes because of his efforts to develop transit and infrastructure, and so much more because of his tireless advocacy on behalf of our state.

Ben has earned admiration not only for his long list of achievements but also for how he achieved them.  Empowered by his sound judgment, strong character, devout Jewish faith and heritage, and genuine likeability, Ben always strives to build consensus among his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

“My Friend Ben” is the quintessential example of the very best public servant: high intellect, unquestioned integrity, a person of common sense, wisdom, and compassion; one who always seeks the best answer for his constituents, his state, and his country; a practitioner of decency, civility, and responsibility. All these traits will be sorely missed in the U.S. Senate and our national public square. I wish Ben and Myrna many, many happy days in the years ahead. They both have my thanks and the gratitude of our state and country.

 

Original source can be found here.