Susan Collins: “after Senator Ben Cardin announced his retirement in the spring of 2023, he and his wonderful wife Myrna recorded an…”

“after Senator Ben Cardin announced his retirement in the spring of 2023, he and his wonderful wife Myrna recorded an extraordinary video reflecting on a life in public service nearly as long as their 60 years of marriage. Touching on the highlights of a career that ranged from enacting the Magnitsky sanctions, about which we have heard so much today, to protecting Maryland's precious Chesapeake Bay, Ben said the unifying force behind his work has always been tzedakah, the Jewish tradition of helping wherever and whenever help is needed. Observing Ben for the past 18 years, I have seen a statesman of keen intellect and profound decency. He is always guided by the ideals of America, his service to Maryland, and by his faith. He consistently has demonstrated the character that earned him the trust of the people of Maryland from the house of delegates to the third congressional district to the U.S. Senate. Ben's hometown newspaper, the Baltimore Sun, described him this way: He is a man of substance who understands complicated issues and the art of compromise. Having partnered with Ben on initiatives to move our Nation forward, I heartily agree with that description. For example, following the tumultuous aftermath of the 2020 election, Ben was an essential leader in a bipartisan working group that crafted the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Act to better ensure smooth transfers of power between Presidential administrations.…”