As we celebrate the life and legacy of great American presidents this week, the Senate will once again hold a series of pro forma sessions intended to stop the administration from circumventing the Senate's responsibility of advice and consent of senior government officials.

During this time, I will be traveling with some of my Congressional colleagues in my role as co-Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission). Along with Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Hilda Solis (D-CA), and Michael McNulty (D-NY), I will visit the Czech capital of Prague to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, President of the Senate Premysl Sobotka, Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Dzamila Stehlíková, and representatives of civil society and the Romani and the Jewish communities. Prague also serves as the headquarters for America's Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), an important voice for democracy and human rights across Eastern Europe. Our delegation will meet with broadcasters and analysts to discuss media freedom and human rights violations in RFE/RL's broadcast region. The visit is an important opportunity to promote regional tolerance and non-discrimination, as well as minority rights and upcoming elections.

Later this week in Vienna, Austria, we will participate in the winter meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly. This gathering of legislators is an opportunity to share information and discuss unfolding events in Kosovo, missile defense, human rights and humanitarian issues.

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is a Government agency that monitors progress in the implementation of the provisions of the 1975 Helsinki Accords. The Commission consists of nine members from the United States Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.

Upon returning to Washington, as a member of the Senate Budget Committee I will continue to participate in hearings and legislative mark-ups of the federal budget. This is a critical time for me to help shape a budget that best reflects the priorities of Marylanders and all Americans. I want to see long-term solutions to the problems facing our housing market and credit crunch. I want more reliable funding for MARC, Amtrak and Washington's Metro System. I will strive to make sure every child and every American has reliable and affordable healthcare and that treasures like the Chesapeake Bay are given adequate resources for cleanup and sustainability. And I will work to ensure the federal government fulfills its responsibility to support communities welcoming new jobs and families to our state thanks to the Base Realignment (BRAC) process.