“President Joe Biden has challenged Americans to work together to make our country a more perfect union. We are always stronger when we are united, rather than divided by hate.” 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), incoming Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations, Finance and Environment and Public Works committees, issued the following statement after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46^th President of the United States and Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President.

“Today, America is renewed and refreshed. After the insurrection at the Capitol just two weeks ago and the ugly vitriol that has dominated the last four years, our nation is ready again to embrace opportunity, optimism and the truth. We will confidently re-enter the world stage that has been looking for American leadership.

“President Joe Biden has challenged Americans to work together to make our country a more perfect union. We are always stronger when we are united, rather than divided by hate. In his address today, President Biden said that ‘together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness.’

“We have seen firsthand that democracy may be challenged but it is resilient. I stand ready to work with the new Biden-Harris administration to ensure the rule of law and our Constitution continue to overcome whatever tests arise. And we will look forward to how we can make our country more welcoming and compassionate.   

“There is much work to do. I urge Marylanders and others to heed the call to action from our new president: ‘This is a great nation. We are good people. And over the centuries, through storm and strife, in peace and in war, we’ve come so far. But we still have far to go. We’ll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities, much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain.’” 

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