Center Featured on National Journal Panel "How to Strengthen America's Future"

Members of the Strengthening America's Future Initiative Steering Committee recently sat down with correspondents and editors of the National Journal to answer questions about the current challenges facing America’s future. The discussion centered around the recent report, Saving America’s Future: A Challenge to the American People.

Center's Commission of National Health Experts Recommends Seven Strategies for Addressing the U.S. Health Care Crisis

On Monday, April 20, the Commission on U.S. Federal Leadership in Health and Medicine: Charting Future Directions, part of the Center's Strengthening America's Future Initiative (SAFI), released a new report, New Horizons for a Healthy America: Recommendations to the New Administration. The Commission is co-chaired by Susan Blumenthal, M.D., Director of the Center's Health and Medicine Program and Former Assistant Surgeon General of the United States, and Denis Cortese, M.D., President and CEO of Mayo Clinic.

New Horizons for a Healthy America recommends seven strategies to mobilize all sectors of American society to help put "health" back into our nation's health care system. The report urges federal leaders and the American public to use all the tools in our national toolkit to help the United States become the healthiest nation in the world. The Commission's recommended strategies include issuing a Presidential Call to Action for a "Healthy U.S.", establishing "Health in All Policies" throughout the U.S. government, and piloting quality-enhancing and cost-saving innovations in the federal health insurance programs.

Read the report
View the press release

For more information, contact Dr. Susan Blumenthal, Director of CSPC's Health and Medicine Program, at 202-872-9800.

European Exchange Program Hosts Second Conference

The spring conference of the European Exchange Program took place from March 31 to April 1. Session topics ranged from the Obama Administration's developing relationships with Capitol Hill and the United Nations to foreign policy toward China and the Middle East. Participants also analyzed the progression of the transition and the first 100 days of the new Administration, the transition process at the civil servant level, and energy and economic policy.

Speakers in the program included Congressman Artur Davis (D-AL) and former Senator and Republican National Committee Chairman William Brock, former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, former Democratic National Committee Chairman and Governor of Colorado Roy Romer, and renowned Congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein. Participants also met with issue experts from the Office of Personnel Management, the Partnership for Public Service, Cambridge Energy Research Associates and the German Marshall Fund. More>>

Summary of March Meetings

For more information, contact Emily Shaftel, Coordinator, European Exchange Program, via e-mail or at 202-872-9800.

Presidential Fellows Reconvene in Washington for Spring Leadership Conference

The Center recently welcomed the 2008-2009 class of Presidential Fellows back to Washington, DC, for the Spring Leadership Conference. This conference, the second of two held annually, began with a career panel of representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the House Armed Services Committee, the Heritage Foundation, and the State Department. Fellows then attended the Center's 42nd Annual Awards Dinner, at which Jeffrey Deitel from the United States Coast Guard Academy and William Lundin from Dartmouth College received the Moffett and Marron Awards, respectively, for their outstanding research on the Presidency. On the second day, the Fellows toured the White House and heard briefings by current White House Fellows. Later, they discussed foreign policy and the new Administration with experts on the subject and heard a presentation on "Entrepreneurship and Regional Development: Is There a Role for Government Policy?" During the final day they talked about the Center's latest publication, Saving America's Future, with Center President David Abshire as well as members of the project's Steering Committee. During the conference the Fellows also presented their original papers on the Presidency and collaborated to strengthen their arguments and conclusions. More>>

For more information, contact Matt Purushotham, Project Director, via e-mail or Jessica Zapf, Project Coordinator, via e-mail. Both can also be reached at 202-872-9800.

Center Awards Dinner Recognizes Senator Dianne Feinstein and the Honorable David Walker

Over 260 guests attend the Center's 42nd Annual Awards Dinner on March 26 at the Willard InterContinental Hotel. The event honored Senator Dianne Feinstein and the Honorable David Walker, along with the Center's 85 Presidential Fellows. Trustee and former Presidential Fellow George Stephanopoulos served as Master of Ceremonies.

Senator Feinstein was presented with the Publius Award for her strong public record of reaching across party lines to accomplish significant legislative goals. David Walker, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and former Comptroller General of the U.S., received the Center's Hamilton Award for his work on bringing public attention to the nation's deteriorating financial condition and unsustainable fiscal path. At the dinner, a letter from President Obama was read that congratulated Senator Feinstein and Mr. Walker.

Sponsors of the event included: Chevron, Lockheed Martin, Science Applications International Corporation, Dr. Scholl Foundation, Trustee Paul Neely, Access Industries, Joseph Duffey and Laureate International Universities, Northrop Grumman Corporation, PG&E Corporation and Yahoo! Inc.

For more information, contact Mary O'Connor, Director of Outreach, via e-mail or at 202-872-9800.

Center Leads Science, Health and Higher Education Delegation to Syria

From March 9 to March 12, a group of distinguished American and Syrian leaders in diplomacy, science, health care, and higher education met in Damascus. The Center, along with the British Syrian Society and the University of Damascus, brought these experts together under the sponsorship of Mr. Wafic Saïd, a Syrian-born businessman and philanthropist. CSPC Trustee Pamela Scholl led the U.S. delegation, which included Ted Kattouf, former Ambassador to Syria and current President of AMIDEAST, and David Baltimore, Nobel laureate and immediate past Chair of the Board at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. During three days of frank and substantive discussion, participants examined the challenges facing Syria, the state of U.S.-Syria relations, opportunities for rapprochement, and areas of cooperation and exchange that could have an immediate impact. The arrival of this delegation was well-received by the highest levels of the Syrian government, including President Bashar al-Assad, with whom the delegation met for an hour. A full report is being produced, which will include a number of concrete recommendations to improve relations and foster cooperation through science, health and higher education. More>>

For more information, contact Matt Purushotham, Project Director, via e-mail or at 202-872-9800.

SAFI Launches Report on Capitol Hill

On Friday, March 27, the Center released Saving America's Future: A Challenge to the American People, the first report from the Strengthening America's Future Initiative (SAFI). Senator Mark Warner and Congressman Frank Wolf hosted the report's release on Capitol Hill. Attendees included project Steering Committee and issue team members, Congressional staff, leading policy experts and members of the media. In addition to Senator Warner and Representative Wolf, other speakers included Center President David Abshire and project Co-chairs Norman Augustine, Roy Romer and David Walker.

Download the report
Watch the press conference
Report overview
Press release

Also visit our blog for an ongoing conversation about the project.

For more information on SAFI, please contact Dana Martin, Project Director, at 202-872-9800. Press inquiries should be directed to Sarah Ficenec, Associate Director for Policy and Communications, at 202-872-9800.

Center Releases New Publications

Peace Through Health: A Mapping of Cooperative Health Programs in Palestine and Israel was produced by the Center's Health and Medicine Program as part of Advancing Trust and Reconciliation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. It provides an analysis of health systems and cooperative health activities in Israel and the Palestinian territories as well as recommendations for improving health in the region.

For more information, please contact Susan J. Blumenthal, M.D., Director of CSPC's Health and Medicine Program, via e-mail at 202-872-9800.

“Summary of Major Organizations' Reports and Recommendations on National Science, Technology and Innovation Policies and Investments, 2006-2008”was produced through the Center's Science and Technology Program as part of the Strengthening America's Future Initiative. It reviews studies and policy documents on national science, technology and innovation policy and budget issues issued by major organizations in 2006-2008.

For more information, please contact Anne G. K. Solomon, CSPC Senior Advisor on Science and Technology, via e-mail or at 202-872-9800.

The new edition of the CSPC newsletter is also available for download.

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