In the midst of the Republican Presidential primaries, more than 250 of the nation’s mayors will convene in Washington, D.C. next week for the 80th Winter Meeting of The U.S. Conference of Mayors at the Capital Hilton Hotel.
The mayors will meet with Administration officials to push for a bipartisan agenda that confronts the double-digit unemployment plaguing much of Main Street America, and challenge Congress to act on job creation, transportation and public safety.
The mayors will also express disappointment that Washington is not listening to the needs of the nation’s Metro regions, which have thus far been absent from the presidential debates. Highlighting the session will be the release of an economic report with 2012 employment forecasts, followed by an official address from USCM President Mayor Villaraigosa on The State of America’s Cities, and then a reception at the White House.
Confirmed Speakers Include:
TUESDAY: U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Louisville (KY) Mayor Greg Fischer
WEDNESDAY: HUD Sec. Shaun Donovan, Education Sec. Arne Duncan, Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood, Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA), Congressman Barney Frank (MA), Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ), Consumer Fin. Protection Bureau Dir. Richard Cordray, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Huffington Post Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Indianapolis Mayor Gregory Ballard, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, Columbus (OH) Mayor Mike Coleman, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, BSG President Joel Benenson
THURSDAY: Health and Human Services Sec. Kathleen Sebelius, NYT Columnist Thomas Friedman, Vice Chairman Edelman Steve Schmidt, Former WH Comm. Dir. Anita Dunn, Americans for the Arts President and CEO Bob Lynch, Brookings Institute Dir. Bruce Katz, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, Green Bay Mayor James Schmitt, Jacksonville (FL) Mayor Alvin Brown, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Boston Mayor Tom Menino, Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, Louisville (KY) Mayor Greg Fischer
FRIDAY: U.S. Trade Rep. Ron Kirk, Presidential Sr. Advisor David Plouffe, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson
