2003 Legislative Conference

Good morning and welcome to the 2003 Annual Legislative Conference. I personally thank each of you for making a special effort to attend this year’s conference. We are facing critical issues. It is important that your elected representatives hear from you about these issues that are vital to public pension funds.

As trustees and administrators, you have an excellent opportunity to share your knowledge and insight with the members of Congress. You can serve as their experts on public pension funds. I know you are up to the challenge and will represent your funds today and tomorrow on Capitol Hill.

I believe this joint legislative conference is the largest in our history, with over 250 in attendance. I know that we have an excellent program for you—one that focuses on the issues facing our funds today. There are some old issues that we will discuss; however, there are many new issues that we have to face and learn about. I know you enjoy the expert presentations that our speakers will make today and tomorrow.

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	Welcoming Remarks NCPERS President Elmer J. Khal Legislative Overview NCPERS Legislative Counsel Fred Nesbitt Political Overview of the 108th Congress Fred Barnes, Executive Editor, The Weekly Standard What Voters Said in 2002, and What It Means for 2004 - Celinda Lake, President, Lake Snell Perry Associates Administration Proposals to Change Retirement and Savings Programs William Sweetnam, Benefits Tax Counsel, Department of the Treasury The Democratic Leadership Agenda in the 108th Congress Scott DeFife, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), House Minority Whip Social Security in the 108th Congress Kim Hildred, Majority Staff Director, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security Chuck Blahous, Special Assistant to President Bush for Economic Policy Health Care Costs of Public Sector Employees and Retirees James Sauber, Research Director, National Association of Letter Carriers Dan Givens, Chairman, NCPERS Task Force on Health Care Benefits Pension Reform in the 108th Congress: House Initiatives Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX), Member, House Committee on Ways and Means and Committee on Education and the Workforce Congressional Action on Securities Issues in the 108^th Congress Sarah Teslik, Executive Director, Council of Institutional Investors Pension Issues Before the Congress Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), member of the House Ways and Means Committee