Ben Cardin

I strongly endorse this bill.

The tax gap is huge, and we really need to deal with it.

We have an opportunity in this Congress to move forward on a bipartisan proposal.

I have heard President Biden talk about narrowing the systemic discriminations in our system.

I want to thank all of you for joining on this important and timely hearing on the role the Federal Government must play in supporting minority and women-owned businesses.

The American Jobs Plan is really a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a significant investment in the infrastructure of our Nation.

We did talk about the mentorship programs and the limitations that are there with the way that it has been merged with the Protege program.

Biodiversity is critically important to the Chesapeake Bay.

We have lost a lot of wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay through development and through sea level increases.

I would invite members of the Committee to join me to visit Poplar Island and see first hand how we have restored biodiversity in reclaiming the Bay.

Poplar Island environmental restorations cost more up front, but they save us money over a longer period of time.

I want to get your view of how important it is for us to restore islands such as Poplar Island or Blackwater Wildlife Refuge.

Just having something is better than nothing.

I would hope that we could work through this and strengthen our ties.

I want to talk about two areas where I would hope we would expand trade opportunities.

I strongly support that formula for the review of our trading agreements and where we need to move forward.

I will just caution you that language is very important, so at every opportunity, I would hope that you would reinforce that.

I understand that you are reviewing the 2021 trade agenda for promoting equitable growth around the world.

I would just respond by saying under PEPFAR we did provide substantial resources in order to be able to complete a task of health infrastructure in the country.

Some of us have visited the countries that have been PEPFAR countries and we see a tremendous difference from those that were not PEPFAR countries.

The generosity of this Congress over almost 20 years to put the United States in the position to be the world's largest donor by far to global health is absolutely welcome.

I look forward to working with you on those issues, because I think it is an area where we can make significant progress.

I think in every State, we have seen escalating numbers of pedestrian and bicycle accidents.

We need to, again, at the local level, look at the full spectrum of opportunities, including local resources.

The question is, how much more can we give control to local communities in order to deal with the equity issues, such as programs like the TAP Program?