BLACK HISTORY MONTH: This time of celebration and remembrance provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the many achievements and sacrifices of African Americans throughout our history. From Rosa Parks to The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Marylanders Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, there are many strong African American men and women who have become role models for our entire nation. They have showed us what strength of purpose can accomplish. During the month of February and throughout the year, I strive to remember that America's rich diversity is one of our greatest strengths. We must work together to fully realize the ideals of equality enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

BUDGET: This week we are sifting through the details of the President's budget proposal that was made official on Monday. As a member of the Senate Budget Committee, I will join with my colleagues to review his proposal carefully and make improvements that best reflect the priorities of Marylanders. At first glance, the President's budget does little to help the long-term problems affecting middle-class Americans and our nation's most vulnerable citizens, and the long-term health of our economy. I will have an open mind as I listen to Administration officials in a series of hearings, including the director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Treasury Secretary. But I will question aggressively those areas where I find resources lacking.

ECONOMIC STIMULUS: I will join my colleagues in the Senate this week, debating and voting on a short-term, economic stimulus plan designed to have a positive impact and get money into the hands of people who need it and will spend it. While the stimulus package that passed the House of Representatives last week was a good starting point, I am encouraged at the improvements made by the Senate Finance Committee to bolster support for middle-class families, and provide help for unemployed workers, 20 million senior citizens, and 250,000 more disabled veterans.

WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: Work continues this week on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Amendments Bill. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I continue to play an active role in this debate. I oppose full retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies. But I am encouraged that there has been some bipartisan agreement that will allow consideration of a few select amendments to the legislation, including my amendment to change the "sunset provision" in this bill from six years to four years. I think it would be a good idea to give Congress and the next President the ability to review the bill and consider its effectiveness.

FOREIGN RELATIONS: This is a busy week for the Senate Foreign Relations, of which I am a member. Midweek we'll hear from State Department officials on the latest negotiations to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. Later in the day, we'll learn the latest progress in Kenya, where post-election violence has devastated that nation. The situation is still tenuous, but I applaud former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's mediation efforts, which appear to have taken a positive turn in the last few days. I am also anxious for more details at a hearing with the President's Special Envoy to Sudan. The slow deployment of the hybrid United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur truly is deplorable and unacceptable. The UN Secretary General, the African Union and the European Union must hasten to fulfill their responsibility by intensifying the diplomatic pressure on Sudan to allow the UNAMID force into Darfur. Delays are costing an untold numbers of lives.

FIGHTING ANTI-SEMITISM: As co-chair of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission), I will lead a hearing on Thursday, along with Chairman Alcee Hastings, that will review U.S. government and civil society efforts to combat anti-Semitism in North America and Europe. In particular, the hearing will examine lessons learned and a way forward in monitoring and combating anti-Semitism. Our panel includes officials from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and distinguished experts from key human rights organizations who are working each and every day to continue the debate and educate individuals about this persistent issue.