ROCKVILLE –
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), today urged students at Richard Montgomery High School to pursue a career in public service, saying “public service has been my life’s work and it has allowed me to help our state and our nation develop policies that benefit all Americans.”

The Senator spoke to members of the senior class as part of the Future Leadership Initiative, a program that seeks to motivate ambitious, intelligent students to choose careers that will benefit their communities.
 

“I have spent more than 40 years in public service – first in the Maryland House of Delegates, then in the House of Representatives and now in the U.S. Senate – and I have always been guided by my belief that government should be a positive force to help improve the daily lives of people,” said
Senator Cardin.
  “I have been truly fortunate that for more than 40 years I have had the privilege of serving the people of Maryland.”

Senator Cardin also told the students that the

Higher Education Access Act of 2007
, which he co-sponsored, created the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to help make college more affordable for those who work in the public sector. The program forgives the remaining college loan debts of borrowers who continue to work in public service careers such as nursing, teaching, law enforcement for 10 years.

“The loan forgiveness program is a good example of using public policy to help people. Education is the key to success and the loan forgiveness program helps make college more affordable while attracting qualified, bright employees to jobs in the public sector,” said
Senator Cardin.