Erskine Bowles to Speak with Local Leaders at NLC Conference

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Erskine Bowles, former White House Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton, will speak with local elected officials during the National League of Cities' (NLC) Congressional City Conference next week.  Additional conference sessions will discuss pertinent economic development and finance issues including making local connections to global trade, accessing federal dollars at the regional level and public pensions and municipal bonds.

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Members of the media are invited to attend.  For more information or to request a free press pass, contact Gregory Minchak, 202-626-3003, [email protected]  or Amanda Straub, 202-626-3015, [email protected].

The Congressional City Conference is the annual legislative meeting of the National League of Cities, designed to inform municipal leaders about federal policy issues while providing an opportunity for city leaders to bring local concerns to their federal elected officials in Washington, DC.

General Sessions

Monday, March 14; 9:00am – 10:30am

• Opening General Session
  • James Mitchell Jr., NLC President, Councilmember, Charlotte, NC
  • Trey Grayson, Director, Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy
  • School of Government, Harvard University

Monday, March 14; 3:45pm – 5:15pm

• Afternoon General Session
  • Ray LaHood, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation
  • Senator Mark Begich(D-Alaska)
  • Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio)

Tuesday, March 15; 8:45am – 10:15am

• Morning General Session
  • Mrs. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States of America
  • Shaun Donovan, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
  • Erskine Bowles, former White House Chief of Staff, President Bill Clinton

Tuesday, March 15; 3:30pm – 5:00pm

• Closing General Session      
  • TBD

Municipal Finance Activities

Sunday, March 13; 1:30pm – 4:00pm

• Finance Administration & Intergovernmental Relations Policy & Advocacy Committee  

Monday, March 14; 10:30am – 12:30pm

• CityFutures Panel on Public Finance

Monday, March 14; 11:00am – 12:15pm

• The New Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness for Veterans and Families    
  • Discuss how the Administration is supporting local efforts to reduce homelessness among two vulnerable populations, including returning veterans and families with children.

Monday, March 14; 11:00am – 12:15pm

• Public Pensions, Budget Shortfalls and Municipal Bonds: Myths and Facts        
  • Learn and discuss the facts regarding emerging issues with public pensions, municipal bonds and fiscal sustainability.

Monday, March 14; 1:45pm – 3:15pm

• Expanding Broadband Access Across America
  • Focus on federal efforts to deploy broadband services across the nation, while expanding access and competition to achieve the President's goal of providing 98 percent of Americans with high-speed wireless broadband within five years.

Economic Development Activities

Sunday, March 13; 1:30pm – 4:00pm

• Community & Economic Development Policy & Advocacy Committee

Monday, March 14; 1:45pm – 3:15pm

• Federal Resources for Global-Local Economic Development
  • Think about how local businesses, education and cultural resources can be marketed in a global context, as the globalization of commerce creates new opportunities for cities and towns.

Tuesday, March 15; 10:45am – 12:15pm

• Leveraging Resources – Working Regionally
  • Make sure hometowns are represented at the regional level through regional planning and economic development organizations in order to leverage federal funds.

Tuesday, March 15; 1:45pm – 3:15pm

• Federal Resources for Small Business Development
  • Local officials play a key role in developing small businesses and entrepreneurial talent in cities. Discuss what the federal government and national organizations have to offer, including the new StartUp America Partnership.

The National League of Cities is the nation's oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.  

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SOURCE National League of Cities