Join us for a Dean’s Distinguished Speaking Forum featuring Senator Ben Cardin. The University of Maryland School of Public Policy welcomes Senator Cardin for a moderated conversation with Dean Flores-Macías, exploring today’s most pressing public policy challenges and insights from the senator’s distinguished career in public service. Discussion topics will include healthcare, environmental policy and international affairs, followed by an audience Q&A.
About the Speaker
Senator Ben Cardin is a distinguished American politician who represented Maryland in the United States Senate from 2007 until his retirement in January 2025. Throughout his three terms in the Senate, he served as a senior member of the Foreign Relations, Finance, and Environment and Public Works committees, playing a key role in drafting the Paycheck Protection Act and authoring global human rights legislation like the Magnitsky Acts. Before his time in the Senate, Cardin served for 20 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, completing a 58-year career in public service without ever losing an election. Known for his focus on healthcare, environmental protection of the Chesapeake Bay, and international human rights, he retired from elected office having left a lasting impact on both Maryland and federal policy.