Nation’s Governors to Convene for Summer Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

WASHINGTON—Governors from across the country will gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 1-4, for the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting to discuss a variety of issues facing states. NGA promotes visionary state leadership, shares best practices among governors and speaks with a collective voice on national policy.

“The citizens of Milwaukee and Wisconsin are excited to host the nation’s governors. These meetings are an important bipartisan forum for sharing state experiences and discussing the critical issues of the day,” said Host Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a member of the NGA Executive Committee. “I look forward to showcasing Wisconsin to my colleagues.”

The Summer Meeting business sessions will officially begin Friday, August 2, with a news conference where the NGA chair, vice chair, host governor and executive committee will highlight the weekend’s events and discuss governors’ collective priorities. The opening session will spotlight Gov. Markell’s Chair’s Initiative, A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities, which focuses on the employment challenges that affect individuals with intellectual and other significant disabilities.

“We want to raise awareness about how the untapped talents of people with disabilities can contribute to a business’s bottom line and define ways both state government and businesses can partner to bring opportunities to individuals with disabilities in the competitive labor market,” said NGA Chair Delaware Gov. Jack Markell. “I look forward to discussing the progress we are making on this issue as well as many other topics with my fellow governors in August.”

Dr. Jeffrey Brenner, founder and executive director of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, will join governors for the opening session to talk about state tools for health care cost containment. The session will conclude with the recognition of NGA’s Corporate Fellows who are marking 20 and 25 years of membership.

Following the opening session, the Education and Workforce Committee will convene to discuss innovations in workforce training and employment services to create jobs and grow family incomes. Governors will be joined by Joseph Carbone, president and CEO of The WorkPlace, and Teresa Wahlert, agency director for Iowa Workforce Development. Concurrently, the Health and Homeland Security Committee will meet to discuss two topics: veterans and homeland security preparedness. Governors will be joined by Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; Caleb Cage, executive director of the Nevada Office of Veterans Services; and Leonard Howie, secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation.

Saturday morning will begin with a joint meeting of the Economic Development and Commerce Committee and the Natural Resources Committee to discuss the state of America’s infrastructure. Governors will be joined by the Honorable Bill Shuster, chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. A session on advancing corrections reform will take place Saturday afternoon. Governors will be joined by Steve Aos, director of the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, and Ashbel T. Wall II, director of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.

Official business will conclude on Sunday with a closing session on cybersecurity. Governors will hear from Matt Devost, president and CEO of the Terrorism Research Center.

“The Summer Meeting brings governors together in a unique forum to engage in a dialogue about important issues affecting our states,” said NGA Vice Chair Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin. “As governors, we face many similar challenges and can learn a great deal from each other’s experiences. I look forward to continuing these valuable conversations with my colleagues.”

Throughout the meeting, governors will attend “governors-only” sessions, which provide an opportunity to discuss issues states are facing in a private, off-the-record setting. The Summer Meeting will conclude with a welcome to incoming NGA Chair Gov. Fallin and the incoming vice chair, who will be announced at the meeting. In addition, Gov. Fallin will unveil her 2013-2014 Chair’s Initiative.

The deadline for advance registration is Noon (EDT), Tuesday, July 30, 2013. Reporters and producers who miss advance registration must register onsite beginning at 11 a.m. (CDT) on Thursday, August 1. However, they should be prepared for possible delays in clearing security and obtaining their NGA credentials if registering onsite. All media must pick up their individual credentials in person at the NGA Meeting Registration Center in Wright Ballroom AB, located on the fourth floor of the Hilton Milwaukee City Center beginning at 1 p.m. (CDT) on Thursday, August 1.

Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation’s governors and one of Washington, D.C.’s most respected public policy organizations. Its members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key federal issues to developing and implementing innovative solutions to public policy challenges through the NGA Center for Best Practices. For more information, visit www.nga.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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