For the first time in its 17-year history, the Senate Democratic Hispanic Task Force will be headed by two Latino lawmakers. [IMGCAP(1)]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Wednesday that Sens. Ken Salazar (Colo.) and Bob Menendez (N.J.) would co-chair the task force, which is charged with forging stronger ties with the national Hispanic community. The group was founded in 1989 by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (N.M.), who headed it until this year. Last year, Bingaman’s co-chair was Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.).

Bingaman stepped down in order to give the only two Democratic Hispanic Senators an opportunity to head it, said Reid spokesman Federico de Jesus. The other Latino lawmaker in the chamber is Republican Sen. Mel Martinez (Fla.).

“With more Hispanics serving in the U.S. Senate than ever before, this is indeed an historic opportunity,” Menendez said in a statement. “I will work alongside Ken Salazar to ensure Hispanics, and the issues important to them, are an integral part of the overall Senate agenda and process.”

The task force has traditionally held a Hispanic leadership event in the fall in conjunction with the House’s Congressional Hispanic Caucus, where Members and Latino leaders from around the country can meet and attend policy workshops.

De Jesus said the task force also provides “a forum to bring to the attention of the whole [Senate] Democratic caucus issues that affect the Latino community.”

Money Matters. The Office and Management and Budget and Government Printing Office will team up Monday to distribute copies of the White House’s fiscal 2008 budget proposal.

The Budget of the U.S. Government will be on sale starting at 10 a.m. in the GPO bookstore. The budget itself will cost $39, while the Budget Appendix will sell for $73. Analytical Perspectives and Historical Tables will sell for $50 and $49, respectively. The budget also will be available on CD-ROM for $21.

Members of the accredited press may register in advance to receive the budget. There is a limit of one complimentary copy of the set per media outlet.

For more information, contact the GPO Bookstore at 202-512-1800.

— Emily Pierce and Elizabeth Brotherton