Ben Cardin

I would say, for raising this issue as something where action should be taken.

There is so much interest.

There is a great deal of bipartisan support for doing something about it.

I think it's important that we continue to advocate for justice in regards to Alan Gross and to bring him back to the United States.

The only way to pursue that is through direct negotiations; and that a vote in the United Nations, even though its legality may have some question, a vote within the United Nations would be counterproductive to that end.

Tomorrow the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will be holding a hearing on Afghanistan and the effectiveness of the U.S. participation in that foreign assistance program.

North Korea must keep its commitments that it made in 2005 to really move forward to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

I think the building of public-private partnerships will be quite crucial.

We are looking at the new challenges that we have, both in terms not of what we alone can do, but what we can do with others.

The United States has a security budget that includes not only the Department of Defense, but our civilian efforts of diplomacy within the State Department.

The committee is at the forefront of debate about America's position in a world of constant change.

I join you in presenting to the committee, Ambassador Sherman, strongly support her confirmation.

We are inexorably connected to the world.

It is her unique ability to understand the world, but understand the people of the United States of America that she serves.

When we fail to act, the world all too often is silent as well.

We need every dollar at home.

I never doubted his love for our country and he never doubted mine either privately or publicly.

We have to find the right balance.

The Obama administration has made the point over and over again that we have a national security budget.

I am grateful for your friendship, your support, and for your leadership and service to all of us who are Marylanders--and Americans.

We cannot afford to be the world's first responder whenever a crisis arises--we need strong multilateral partners who can help us shoulder this burden.

The money we spend abroad is not a gift to foreign nations. It is an investment in our national security.

Working with North Korea is very frustrating, exceedingly difficult.

I think the committee would do well to take the executive branch's nomination and to move her forward.

I am very gratified that the President has nominated someone with all of those talents to such an important position.