Wednesday, April 17
with SGE
Chinatown Garden Restaurant

PAUL OFFNER and HARRY HOLZER
Georgetown Public Policy Institute

"Left Behind in the Labor Market: Recent Employment Trends Among Young Black Men"

With record numbers of low-income, single mothers having left welfare and joined the workforce over the past several years, many policymakers involved in the welfare reauthorization debate are focusing on strategies to promote the formation of two-parent families. This study finds that in contrast to their female counterparts, a significantly smaller proportion of young black men with no more than a high school education are working today than 20 years ago. The authors conclude with recommendations for how welfare policy could help disadvantaged young fathers succeed in the labor market and contribute to the well-being of young mothers and their children.

Thursday, April 25
Chinatown Garden Restaurant

IAN SHEPHERDSON
Chief U.S. Economist, High Frequency Economics

"Policy Issues of the U.S. Economy as it Recovers"

Thursday, May 2
Chinatown Garden Restaurant

DON NORMAN
Economist and Director, Financial Councils, Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI

"The Business Outlook for the Manufacturing Sector"

Don Norman will discuss the latest Manufacturers Alliance's Business Outlook Survey on conditions in the manufacturing sector. In addition, he will talk about the some of the factors precipitating the decline in manufacturing activity.

Wednesday, May 8
Chinatown Garden Restaurant

DIANE SWONK
Chief Economist, Bank One Corporation

"Surviving and Thriving in the Wake of September 11"

Diane Swonk will discuss the near-term victories and long-term challenges that the economy now faces, how it will affect monetary and fiscal policy, and what it all means for financial markets.

Thursday, May 23
Chinatown Garden Restaurant

MAURY HARRIS
Chief Economist, UBS Warburg

Mr. Harris will discuss cyclical issues facing the economy, including unemployment, household leverage, technology, as well as Fed policy. He will emphasize his rather optimistic multiyear outlook on technological change and productivity, and discuss the dollar's future from global bank's perspective.

Thursday, May 30
Library of Congress

J. STEVEN LANDEFELD
Director, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce

"Budgeting with GDP Revisions"

CBO estimated that roughly 40 percent of the change in the FY03 budget outlook over the next ten years, or $1.6 trillion, was due to changes in economic and technical assumptions. In recent years, revisions in GDP and income have often been a major source of error in budget forecasts. BEA Director Steve Landefeld will talk about why GDP revisions have been so large and what the prospects are for reducing them and improving government budget forecasts.

Thursday, June 6
Library of Congress

BRUCE JACKSON
Lockheed Martin

Bruce Jackson, President of the US Committee on NATO, will discuss the conceptual thinking behind the NATO Summit in Prague and the EU Summit in Cophengan. He will focus on "NATO's New Agenda" to include the new relationship with Russia, the invitation to new members and the problem of building capabilities to address the new missions of NATO.

Thursday, June 13
(with CSWEP)
Chinatown Garden Restaurant

MARILYN MOON
Urban Institute

"Dollars and Drugs: Key Issues in Medicare Reform"

Marylin Moon will look at the tough choices facing Medicare for the future. An inadequate benefit package, a wave of Baby Boomers headed for eligibility and scarce federal dollars put Medicare's future in considerable jeopardy.

Thursday, June 27
Chinatown Garden Restaurant

CLIFF WALDMAN
Waldman Associates

"The Crucial Business Investment Variable: Perspective on the 1990s and the Presentation of a New Forecasting Tool"

Clifford Waldman will describe business investment activities in the 1990s and will compare this experience with the historical record since 1970. He will conclude by presenting a new tool that he developed with Alan Blinder for forecasting short-term fluctuations in total business investment.