Washington
, DC –
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee and
Senate Judiciary Committee, as well as co-chair of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission), issued the following statement today in response to President-elect Barack Obama’s announcement of his national security team.

“President-elect Obama has chosen bold, talented and experienced leaders to carry out his national security policy and help keep the American public safe and our country secure. His selections reinforce my deep belief that Barack Obama’s steady hand and good judgment is exactly what we need at this time to put our country back on course and restore our leadership in the world. As President-elect Obama stated, Americans will once again stand proud in the world as a responsible member of the global community and a moral example of peace and stability.
 

“As a member of the Senate Foreign Relation Committee, I look forward to the confirmation hearings for my colleague, Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, and Dr. Susan Rice as our next Ambassador to the United Nations. I also look forward to hearing from General James Jones in his role as National Security Advisor. Together, with Secretary of Defense Gates, this dynamic team will bring appropriate balance to our foreign policy and global diplomacy while formulating the most responsible and honorable way to bring our troops home from Iraq as we redirect resources to the forgotten front on the fight against terror in Afghanistan.

“As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to hearing from Eric Holder during his confirmation hearing for Attorney General, as well as Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano in her new position of Secretary of Homeland Security. Both of these long-time public servants will help to restore trust and confidence in departments that are supposed to be free from political entanglements. They also will help to reassure our citizens that we can protect the American public while still respecting individuals’ basic civil rights.”