December 8th: Time is running out for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to fulfill its obligation to protect the interests of federal employees and retirees by withdrawing their approval of Blue Cross Blue Shield's 2009 Standard Option Health Plan. OPM, together with Blue Cross Blue Shield, must take action immediately, before employees are locked into a health care plan for the coming year that could adds thousands of dollars to employee costs for out-of-network surgeries. Under the 2009 plan, enrollees now will be responsible for the first $7,500 in surgery charges from physicians not in the Blue Cross Blue Shield network.

I call on OPM Acting Director Michael Hager to go back to the drawing board with Blue Cross-Blue Shield and quickly craft a responsible health plan proposal for 2009 that will provide meaningful coverage for all covered services to federal employees and retirees.

Open season for the Federal Employees Health Plan (FEHP) ends Monday, December 8. Because health plan choices automatically renew from year-to-year, a major change in out-of-pocket costs for patients facing surgery would be a catastrophic surprise for individuals dealing with a major health issue. This is unacceptable and jeopardizes access to care.

December 1st: President-elect Obama has chosen bold, talented and experienced leaders to carry out his national security policy and help keep the American public safe and our country secure. His selections reinforce my deep belief that Barack Obama's steady hand and good judgment is exactly what we need at this time to put our country back on course and restore our leadership in the world. As President-elect Obama stated, Americans will once again stand proud in the world as a responsible member of the global community and a moral example of peace and stability.

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relation Committee, I look forward to the confirmation hearings for my colleague, Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, and Dr. Susan Rice as our next Ambassador to the United Nations. I also look forward to hearing from General James Jones in his role as National Security Advisor. Together, with Secretary of Defense Gates, this dynamic team will bring appropriate balance to our foreign policy and global diplomacy while formulating the most responsible and honorable way to bring our troops home from Iraq as we redirect resources to the forgotten front on the fight against terror in Afghanistan.

November 20th: The Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (H. R. 3361) will protect the savings of America's seniors invested in individual retirement plans with a one-year moratorium on the required minimum distributions (RMD). The legislation, which I am co-sponsoring, was introduced by Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senate HELP Committee Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY). It is similar to legislation then-Congressman Cardin sponsored in 2005 while a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

American seniors should not be penalized for our nation's economic downturn. Forcing seniors to take a loss on their investments just because they reached age 70 1/2, after they worked hard all their life to save for retirement, is simply unfair. This bill will help secure seniors' savings during such a volatile time for worldwide financial markets. It also will help reduce the real fear many retirees are feeling as they see their retirement account balances go down and down further.

November 20th: Today I joined Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and fellow EPW committee members Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), in announcing an aggressive legislative agenda for the 111th Congress to combat global warming and create jobs. Their announcement came in response to the challenge laid down earlier this week by President-elect Barack Obama that America will open a new chapter in the worldwide effort to reduce global warming and create jobs rooted in green technology.

This is a win-win opportunity for our nation's economy and the environment. We're currently in a horrible economic position. By investing in alternative, renewable energy, we will create more jobs here in America and it will lift our whole economy, while putting us on a clear path to energy security.

It is refreshing to have an incoming president who wants to be a partner with the Congress in protecting the health and welfare of the American public and who understands the connections between global warming, our economy and national security. The health of our economy, the Chesapeake Bay, and all our citizens, are dependent on our success in ensuring clean air and clean water though significant reductions in greenhouse gases.