Swamp Sunrise

Good morning.

Here are a few Washington events of note for Thursday, February 1, 2007 as collected by the Associated Press.

President Bush is speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast. 8 a.m.

The Senate Select Intelligence Committee is holding a confirmation hearing for retired Vice Adm. Mike McConnell to be Director of National Intelligence. Dirksen 106, 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 29 - Feb. 1. IMMIGRATION REFORM — About 200 grassroots imigration reform acivists from more than 30 states participate in a ``Standing FIRM!’’ immigration rerform summit organized by the Fair Immigration Reform Movement.
8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Participants lobby on Capitol Hill.
1 p.m. Wrapup press conference. Room 385, Russell.
Location: Gallaudet University-Kellogg Conference Center, 800 Florida Ave. NE., unless otherwise noted.

Jan. 30 - Feb. 4. SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION — The National Sheriff’s Association holds its 2007 Winter Conference.
8:30 a.m. FEMA Director David Paulison delivers the keynote address.
Location: JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave, NW

Feb. 1 - 2. AFFORDABLE HOUSING — The National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders holds its annual conference.
8:30 a.m. Rep. Maxine Waters.
9 a.m. Sen. Jack Reed.
1 p.m. James Lockhart, Director, Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.
Location: Park Hyatt, 1201 24th St. NW.

Feb. 1 - 2. TAX SYMPOSIUM — The Tax Council Policy Institute holds its Eighth Annual Tax Council Policy Institute Symposium, ``Understanding the Global Tax Arena: Risk & Regulation.’’
8 a.m. Welcome Remarks and Symposium Mission by Douglas P. Bates, Vice President, Federal Relations, Northwestern Mutual, Chairman, Board of Directors, Tax Council Policy Institute; others.
8:15 a.m. Keynote Panel, ``Is the Global Wave of Change in Tax Risk Over or Just Beginning?’’ Participants: Mark A. Weinberger, America's Vice Chairman-Tax, Ernst & Young LLP; Mark W. Everson, Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service; others.
10 a.m. Session 2: ``Inter-Governmental Cooperation and Information Sharing: Where Are We Now?’’
11:15 a.m. Session 3: ``Tax Disclosures in Financial Statements: The FASB, SEC and IRS Current Perspectives and Future Plan,’’ with Richard R. Jones, National Accounting, Ernst & Young LLP; Deborah M. Nolan, Commissioner, Large and Mid-Size Business Division, IRS, others.
2 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Session 4: ``Global Tax Enforcement Trends and Worldwide Risks,’’ with Armando Gomez, Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; David Bullington, Vice President-Tax Policy, Wal-Mart; Patrick J. Ellingsworth, Executive Vice President-Tax and Corporate Structure, Royal Dutch Shell plc; and Donald L. Korb, Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service.
2:30 p.m. Lunch and keynote address.
3:45 p.m. - 5 p.m. Session 5: ``Developing a Global Corporate Tax Risk Strategy,’’ with Richard G. Larsen, Global Director of Tax Risk Services and Americas Tax Leader for the Aerospace & Defense Sector, Ernst & Young LLP; others.
5 p.m. Session 6: ``Making the ``Final Judgments on Implementing the New Standard on Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,’’ with Neil D. Traubenberg, Vice President Corporate Tax, Sun Microsystems; others.
6:15 p.m. Reception, dinner and keynote address by Sen. Michael Crapo, R-Idaho.
Location: Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd St. NW.

Feb. 1 - 2. US-CHINA — The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a public hearing on ``The U.S.-China Relationship: Economics and Security in Perspective.’’ The hearing will examine U.S.-China relations from multiple perspectives to assess this bilateral relationship since the granting of permanent normalized trade relations to China, and the challenges facing the relationship in 2007. It will consider the economic, security, and diplomatic impacts of Chinas accession to the World Trade Organization, and seek to identify trends in U.S.-China relations and opportunities for greater bilateral cooperation and dialogue.
8:40 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The commission will focus on the overall nature of U.S.-China relations and particularly economic and trade relations. It will hear from members of Congress and Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Richard Lawless. Representatives from the Department of Energy and U.S. Pacific Command are invited. Policy experts and academic scholars will discuss the successes and failures of U.S.-China relations in the past five years, as well as the effect on the U.S. economy of China's development since its accession to the WTO.
Location: Room 562, Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Feb. 1 - 2. WORKING FAMILIES-SECURITY — The National Academy of Social Insurance holds a conference on how policymakers can ease insecurity for working families and strengthen economic security for all Americans.
Location: National Press Club.

Feb. 1 - 3. DEMOCRATIC MEETING — Winter meeting of the Democratic National Committee.
Location: Washington Hilton & Towers, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW

8 a.m. - 5:45 p.m. AVIATION FORUM — The American Bart Association holds a forum on air and space, with Kenneth Feinberg, special master of the federal September 11 Victim’s Compensation Fund; John Byerly, with the Department of State; Daniel Calleja, director of the European Commission’s Air Transport Directorate; Michael Wholley, NASA’s general counsel; and Patricia Grace Smith, administrator for commercial space transportation with the FAA.
Location: Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW

9 a.m. HAZMATS-RAIL SHIPMENTS — DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration holds a hearing on ``Hazardous Materials: Enhancing Rail Transportation Safety and Security for Hazardous Materials Shipments.’’
Location: Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C St. SW.

9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. TRANSPORTATION BIOFUELS — The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a conference on transportation biofuels.
Panel 2: Biofuels Today, with the Corn Growers Association; Monsanto; New Mexico Sorghum Producers; Governors Ethanol Colation; and American Trucking Associations.
9:30 a.m. - 10:25 a.m. Panel 1: Issue Overview and Policy Context, with World Resources Institute; Energy Futures Coalition; National Commission on Energy Policy; Securing America’s Future Energy; and the Renewable Fuels Association.
11:30 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. Panel 3: Emerging Biofuels, with Dupont; Imperium; and Niles KLJ Solutions.
2 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. Panel 4: National Infrastructure Integration, with ConocoPhillips; National Petroleum Refiners Association; Magellan; and Ford; and the Coalition of E85 Retailers.
3 p.m. - 3:55 p.m. Panel 5: Regional Infrastructure, with Warrenton, Va., Mayor George Fitch; the American Forest and Paper Association; Chevron; VeraSun; Erath Biofuels; and the South Carolina Institute for Energy Studies.
4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Panel 6: Research and Development, with Sandia National Laboratories; National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Auburn University; MIT Laboratory for Energy and Environment; and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Location: Room G-50, Dirksen Senate Office Building.

8 a.m. PATENTS — The National Academies’ Science, Tedhnology and Economic Policy Board holds a discussion on the Gower Report on UK intellectual property policy, with Ron Marchant, chief executive, UK Patent office.
Location: Room 110, 550 5th St. NW.

8:30 a.m. NEW POLICY — The Horizon Project releases a report on a set of ideas in the areas of trade and economic growth, education, health care and infrastructure.
Location: Center for American Progress, 10th floor, 1333 H St. NW.

8:45 a.m. JOURNALISTS-DANGER — Reporters Without Borders, holds a news conference to release its annual report on the global status of press freedom.
Location: National Press Club.

8:50 a.m. BUDGET BOOKS — Photo opportunity of OMB Director Rob Portman and GPO senior management inspecting the production of the FY08 budget books.
Location: GPO, 732 N. Capitol St.

9:30 a.m. BUDGET-AVIATION — Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Phil Boyer holds a news conference to discuss possible changes in the FAA’s ``user fee’’ system and possible increases in taxes for aviation users.
Location: National Press Club.

9:30 a.m. SBA-DISASTERS — SBA Administrator Streven Preston speaks on the Disaster Assistance Program and reform agenda.
Location: National Press Club.

9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. NATIONAL SECURITY-BUDGET — The Security Policy Working Group hosts a news briefing at which four security and defense policy experts will release a report card grading the Bush administration on their handling of key national security and budget issues. Briefers: Steve Kosiak, director of budget studies for the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, on ``Has the administration used emergency spending effectively?" Winslow Wheeler, director of the Center for Defense Informations Straus Military Reform Project, on ``What reforms are needed in the defense budgeting process?’’ Cindy Williams, principal research scientist for the Security Studies Program at MIT, on ``Whats the real budget request, and is it practical?’’ and Carl Conetta, co-director of the Project on Defense Alternatives, on ``What do the troop ’surge and the Iraq war mean for the budget?’’
Location: National Press Club, Murrow Room.

10 a.m. PENTAGON MEMORIAL — The Pentagon Memorial Fund displays the first prototype of the Pentagon Memorial bench unit
Location: South Parking Lot, Pentagon.

10:30 a.m. LOW INCOME-ENERGY — National Fuel Funds Network Chairperson Greg Sawyers and Christine Burkins, a federal energy assistance recipient from Baton Rouge, La., hold a news conference in support of increased funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Location: American Gas Association, 400 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 400

11 a.m. EDUCATION FUNDING — The Committee for Education Funding holds a telephone briefing on the state of federal education funding.

11 a.m. OBESITY — HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt will join DreamWorks Animations Chairman Roger Enrico and the Ad Council's Peggy Conlon to launch a new series of public service advertisements designed to help prevent childhood obesity.
Location: Great Hall, HHH Building, 200 Independence Ave. SW.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. WORKFORCE HOUSING INITIATIVE — The Urban Land Institute holds a press briefing on the New Workforce Housing initiative.
Location: National Press Club, Zenger Room.

12 p.m. CB0-ECONOMIC OUTLOOK — Congressional Budget Office Deputy Director Donald Marron speaks on ``The 2007 Budget and Economic Outlook’’ at a National Economists Club luncheon. Marrin will present the CBO’s annual view of the baseline budget and economic situations.
Location: Chinatown Gardens Restaurant, 618 H St. NW.

12:15 p.m. BUDGET PREVIEW — The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and the New America Foundation hold a discussion on the upcoming federal budget, with William Frenzel, Rudolph Penner and Timothy Penny, all of the committee.
Location: 7th floor, 1630 Connecticut Ave. NW.

12:30 p.m. WORKING FAMILIES — Sen. Christopher Dodd, others, hold a news conference to announce a bill to provide paid family and medical leave for workers.
Location: Room SC-115, Capitol.

2 p.m. JOURNALISTS-SUBPOENAS — Defend the Press Coalition holds a news conference to discuss the dismissed subpoena of journalists from the US v Watada Court Martial. Participants include Sarah Olson, journalist released from US Army subpoena in Watada court martial; Linda K. Foley, President, The Newspaper Guild-CWA; James Crawley, President of Military Reporters and Editors; John Stauber, author, executive director, Center for Media and Democracy; Scott Goodstein, coordinator, Defend The Press campaign.
Location: National Press Club.

2:30 p.m. DARFUR — The Center for American Progress, others, hold a discussion on solutions to the crisis in Darfur, with John Prendergast and Colin Thomas-Jensen, both of the International Crisis Group.
Location: 1333 H St. NW.

2:30 p.m. INCOME TAXES — Treasury Secretary Paulson, IRS Commissioner Mark Everson, Savannah, Ga. Mayor Otis Johnson, others, participate in a news conference on the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Location: Room 4121, main Treasury.

5 p.m. ANTIQUITIES — The Washington College of Law holds a session on the global market for stolen antiquities and the responsibility of museums to avoid acquiring stolen artworks. Participants include President Patty Gerstenblith of the Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation.
Location: Room 603, 4801 Massachusetts Ave. NW.

5 p.m. EMERGING MARKETS — Antoine van Agtmael, founder, chairman and chief investment officer of Emerging Markets Management, L.L.C., who is known for coining the term ``emerging markets,’’ discusses ``The Emerging Markets Century,’’ sponsored by the School of Advanced International Studies.
Location: Kenney Auditorium, 1740 Massachusetts Ave. NW.

5 p.m. KYRGYZSTAN — The Central Asia-Caucasus Institute holds a Program on Kyrgyzstan with Marat Abdyrazakovich Sultanov, Speakeer of Parliament.
Location: Rome Auditorium, 1619 Massachusetts Ave. NW.

6 p.m. CERF-INTERNET — Google Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist Vinton Cerf speaks at an Inter-American Development Bank forum on the Internet in the 21st Century.
Location: 1330 New York Ave. NW.

6:30 p.m. HOLOCAUST MUSEUM-DARFUR — Actress and activist Mia Farrow will be the keynote speaker at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum program ``Genocide Emergency: Darfur, Sudan.’’ She will be joined by John Hefferman, director of the museum’s Genocide Prevention Initiative; and Holocaust survivor Margit Meissner.
Location: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW.

All times local in Washington.