MEDIA ADVISORY
EVENT: Media Availability with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans
DATE: Thursday, July 1, 2004
TIME: 1 p.m. (CT)
PLACE: Iowa Hall Gallery near Ballantyne Auditorium, Kirkwood Community College
Senator Chuck Grassley and Commerce Secretary Don Evans will hold a media availability before an economic forum to help small and medium sized businesses in Iowa work on issues such as exporting; contracting with the federal government; regulatory issues; tax and health care policy; and contracts for reconstruction in Iraq.
Grassley said the Economic Forum is free of charge for any Iowan who wants to attend. The forum will be held at Kirkwood Community College in Ballantyne Auditorium of Cedar Hall from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Grassley said there is still time to register for the event. Iowans interested in attending can email Grassley's office at economicforum@grassley.senate.gov .
The opening session will feature Evans as the keynote speaker. Following the opening session, attendees will then participate in a series of small group meetings led by experts from the Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration and the Senate Finance Committee. Each of the break-out sessions will focus on the different issues facing Iowa businesses.
Here is a list of the speakers for the break out sessions.
Regulatory Issues: Wendell Bailey, Small Business Administration
Contracting with the Government: Emily Murphy, Office of Government Contracting and Business Development, Small Business Administration
Tax, Health and Pension Policy: Elizabeth Paris, Senate Finance Committee and John O'Neill, Senate Finance Committee
Export Assistance and Iraq Contracts: Neal Burnham, U.S. Commercial Service and J.V. Schwann, Office of Market Access & Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce