WASHINGTON, D.C. – As policy makers focus their attention this week on growing U.S. natural gas supplies as well as concerns over “fracking” methods used to produce shale gas, the Progressive Policy Institute will release a new policy paper on natural gas and host a high-profile forum on Thursday, July 21 at 10 a.m. convening leaders from the White House, Congress, the natural gas industry, the manufacturing sector, and the environmental community.

Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Heather Zichal, U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Penn.), and President of the American Gas Association David McCurdy will join the Progressive Policy Institute for the timely public forum and discussion.

“Natural Gas Reconsidered,” PPI’s new policy memo, examines how recent technological innovations have changed the supply picture for natural gas as a domestic energy resource, and looks at the implications of this supply “windfall” for the industry, policy makers, and the job-starved U.S. economy. “Recent discoveries of enormous gas reserves in the United States offer a very different vision for the future of natural gas,” writes Cooper. “It no longer makes sense to treat natural gas as just another dirty fossil fuel that the United States should stop burning as soon as we can find a feasible replacement.”

In addition to the three speakers, the forum will feature an all-star roundtable discussion headed by Roger Cooper, the author of the new PPI paper; along with Vello Kuuskraa, President of Advanced Resources Inc.; Amy Mall of the Natural Resources Defense Council; Peter Molinaro of the Dow Chemical Company; and Peter Robertson of America’s Natural Gas Alliance. Moderating the discussion will be Greenwire Energy Reporter Mike Soraghan.

As part of this discussion among key stakeholders, Kuuskraa will also introduce a new “Sustainable Shale Gas Development Initiative” that will identify ten immediate steps the industry can take to address environmental concerns in advance of any potential regulations by federal and state agencies.

WHO

The Honorable Jason Altmire, U.S. Representative (D-Penn.)
Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change
David McCurdy, , President of the American Gas Association

Roundtable Particpants:
Roger Cooper, Principal, Cleveland Park Policy Consulting
Vello Kuuskraa, President, Advanced Resources Inc.
Amy Mall, Senior Policy Analyst, Natural Resources Defense Council
Peter Molinaro, Vice President, Federal and State Government Affairs, The Dow Chemical Company
Peter Robertson, Senior Vice President, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, America’s Natural Gas Alliance

Moderated by: Mike Soraghan, Energy Reporter, Greenwire

WHEN

Thursday, July 21, 2011
9:30 a.m.: Camera pre-set
9:30–10 a.m.: Guest check-in and registration
10 a.m.–11:45 a.m.: Event

-Opening Remarks:

Heather Zichal
Rep. Jason Altmire
David McCurdy

-Panel Discussion:

Cooper, Kuuskraa, Mall, Molinaro, and Robertson

WHERE

National Press Club, Zenger Room, 529 14th Street NW, 
Washington, DC

MEDIA COVERAGE

The event is open to the press. All participants will be available to answer questions from the media. Media in attendance are required to register in advance of the event to Steven Chlapecka at 202.525.3931 or schlapecka@ppionline.org.

For further questions, please contact Steven Chlapecka at schlapecka@ppionline.org, 202.525.3931 (office), 202.556.1752 (cell).

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Common Good invites you to attend an end-of-the-day discussion and reception on Wednesday, October 20 in New York City.

Discussants:

Philip K. Howard, Chair of Common Good

Will Marshall, President of the Progressive Policy Institute

David Webb, Co-Founder of TeaParty365

The event will be a continuation of the conversation initiated by Howard with his September 26 essay for the Daily Beast, “Manifesto for a New Politics,” and joined by Webb and Marshall with their respective responses, “We Need New Leaders Now!” and “Don’t Destroy Government, Use It.”

When:

Wednesday, October 20, 2010. 5:30 – 7:00 pm

Cocktails and appetizers will be served.

Where:

The New York Times Building
43rd Floor (offices of Covington & Burling LLP)
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018

To RSVP, please e-mail your name, position, affiliation, and contact information to rsvp@commongood.org.  If you have any questions, please contact Andrew T. Park at apark@commongood.org.

This event is the first in a series titled “Fixing Broken Government.”

Common Good is a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal reform coalition.

PRESS CONTACT:
Steven Chlapecka—schlapecka@ppionline.org, T: 202.525.3931

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tuesday, July 20, Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) and Michael Mandel, former BusinessWeek chief economist and founder of Visible Economy LLC, will join the Progressive Policy Institute for a policy briefing and the release of “The Coming Communication Boom? Jobs, Innovation and Countercyclical Regulator Policy,” a policy memo focusing on job growth in innovative industries and the role of regulatory policy in aiding economic development.

Register for the event.

WHO

Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI), Co-chair, New Democrat Coalition Task Force on Innovation and Competitiveness
Michael Mandel, Founder, Visible Economy LLC
Will Marshall, President, Progressive Policy Institute

WHAT

The briefing will outline the latest trends in innovation and job creation, and offer a future outlook for the communications sector as a driver for economic growth.  Rep. Ron Kind, co-chair of the New Democrats Coalition Task Force on Innovation, will offer opening remarks at 12 p.m. Immediately following, Mandel will discuss and offer recommendations from his memo. This event marks the official release of the PPI policy memo “The Coming Communication Boom? Jobs, Innovation and Countercyclical Regulator Policy.”

WHEN

12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 20

WHERE

U.S. Capitol, Room H-137, East Capitol St and 1st St NE, Washington, D.C.

MEDIA COVERAGE

The event is open to the press.  Media wishing to attend should contact Steven Chlapecka at 202.525.3931 or schlapecka@ppionline.org.

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Register for the event.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wednesday, May 26, Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) and District of Columbia Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee along with leading experts on turnaround schools will join the Progressive Policy Institute Initiative to examine the challenge of turning around low-performing schools.

The United States has fallen behind as the world leader in educating students preparing for college or the workforce. The Obama administration, with the leadership of Department of Education Secretary Arnie Duncan, has made a commitment to improve America’s schools and provide every child with a world-class education. In the recently released education reform “blueprint,” President Obama noted that turning around low-performing schools is essential in providing America’s children with the education they deserve.

WHO

Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO)
Michelle Rhee, Chancellor, D.C. Public Schools
David Cicarella, President, New Haven Federation of Teachers
Justin Cohen, President, The School Turnaround Group, Mass Insight Education
Jordan Meranus, Partner, NewSchools Venture Fund
Will Marshall, President, Progressive Policy Institute

WHAT

PPI will host a forum with education leaders and policy experts that will examine the challenges facing administrators, students and teachers in bringing about lasting change to low-performing schools.

WHEN

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 26

WHERE

Grand Ballroom, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 1330 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C.

MEDIA COVERAGE

The event is open to the press. Camera pre-set: 11:15 a.m. Media wishing to attend should contact Steven Chlapecka at schlapecka@ppionline.org.

For further questions, please contact Steven Chlapecka at schlapecka@ppionline.org, 202.525.3931 (office), 202.556.1752 (cell).

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MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2010

CONTACT:
Steven Chlapecka – schlapecka@ppionline.org, T: 202.525.3931

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the White House takes up its next legislative priority, the Progressive Policy Institute and Americans for Campaign Reform on Wednesday, March 17, will host Senator Dick Durbin and a bipartisan panel to address the public’s appetite for campaign reform and how the Fair Elections Now Act offers a solution to fix the broken political system.

WHO:                Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)

Dan Weeks – President, Americans for Campaign Reform

Mark McKinnon – Former advisor to President George W. Bush and Vice Chairman of Public Strategies                  

John Samples – Director, Cato’s Center for Representative Government

Andrew Baumann – Senior Associate, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner

Will Marshall – President, Progressive Policy Institute

WHAT:             AFTER CITIZENS UNITED: A NEW PARADIGM FOR CAMPAIGN REFORM

Senator Dick Durbin will offer remarks on the Fair Elections Now Act and the recent Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case lifting the ban on corporate spending in elections.  Following Senator Durbin’s remarks, a panel discussion moderated by Will Marshall will examine voter opinions on campaign reform, Democratic and Republican support for the Fair Elections Now bill and its prospects for passage.

WHEN:           Wednesday, March 17 — 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

WHERE:         Dirksen Senate Office Building – SD-106, U.S. Capitol Complex, Washington, D.C.

MEDIA COVERAGE:  The event is open to the media and panelists will be available following the discussion for individual interviews.

For further questions, please contact Steven Chlapecka at schlapecka@ppionline.org, 202.525.3931 (office), 202.556.1752 (cell).

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