| POLICY FORUM CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS THE FISCAL CHALLENGES FACING THE UNITED STATES
The Humphrey
Institute Policy Forum and the Concord
Coalition will co-host a conference titled "Leadership and the Fiscal
Future of the United States" from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, October 17, at
the Humphrey Center. National speakers will present different ideological perspectives
on the fiscal challenges facing the United States, such as balancing the financial
responsibilities of entitlement programs like Social Security with other obligations,
such as the war in Iraq and rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Several former congressional
leaders will comment on what action policymakers are-or should be-taking in
response to these challenges.
"Current deficits will only be exacerbated by the entitlement demands
of baby boom retirees. If today's Congress doesn't act soon to correct our fiscal
course, future taxpayers will pay an enormous price," says Tim Penny, co-director
of the Policy Forum and a member of the Concord Coalition's board of directors.
"We hope that those in attendance will learn more about our nation's fiscal
challenges and why Washington is so slow to act."
Featured speakers on the first panel include David Walker, comptroller general
of the United States; Isabel Sawhill, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution;
and Brian Riedl, Grover M. Hermann Fellow in Federal Budgetary Affairs at the
Heritage Foundation.
A second panel will feature several former congressional leaders who will offer
their perspectives on decision making in Washington and the political issues
surrounding the debate over spending priorities. They include Minnesota Court
of Appeals Judge and former Congressman David Minge, former Congressman Tim
Penny, and former Senator David Durenberger.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested by
contacting Ellen Tveit via e-mail or
at (612) 625-8330. More information is available online.
The Concord Coalition is a nationwide, non-partisan, grassroots organization
that advocates fiscal responsibility and works to ensure that Social Security,
Medicare, and Medicaid are secure for future generations. It was founded in
1992 by the late former Senator Paul Tsongas (D-Mass.), former Senator Warren
Rudman (R-N.H.), and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Peter Peterson.
The Humphrey Institute Policy Forum, co-directed by former Minnesota Congressmen
Tim Penny and Vin
Weber, is part of the Center
for the Study of Politics and Governance. The Policy Forum organizes public
conferences and leadership development activities related to current public
policy issues. |
