Senator Ben Cardin, the Democratic senior Senator from Maryland, spoke to the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) on August 31, in a Chamber-sponsored business town hall meeting covering a wide range of topics, including small business and the economy, cultural and political issues, and local issues affecting the D.C. metro area.
Senator Cardin addressed national economic concerns, including the 2018 budget and the debt ceiling, uncertainty in healthcare policy, and tax reform. He placed special emphasis on the need for a bipartisan effort to implement tax reform that will make tax rates competitive without burdening the middle class. Responding to a question regarding bipartisanship and cooperation in government asked by DSFederal CEO Sophia Parker, Cardin said simply, “compromise is not a bad word,” He went on to say that the tax reform process must be transparent, as Americans will no longer stand for backroom dealings on such an important issue.
The meeting also focused on local issues, including the loss of job opportunities from Maryland to Northern Virginia, and funding for Metro. Cardin stressed that the four Senators who represent the region and the Federal government in general support allocating additional funds for WMATA, but that states would have to pay their fair share as well.
Sophia has served on the MCCC Board of Directors since October 2016, advocating for the interests of small business owners and their employees on issues including taxes, transportation, and healthcare policy. DSFederal thanks event host Johns Hopkins University, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, and Senator Ben Cardin for the opportunity to participate in the democratic process.