Senator John McCain to Keynote Reform Institute National Energy Symposium

Alexandria, VA, March 27, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The Reform Institute is pleased to announce that U.S. Senator John McCain will provide luncheon keynote remarks at the national energy symposium, Reforming American Energy: Encouraging Innovation, Producing Solutions, on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Senator McCain joins a dynamic program that will address the nation’s energy challenges and explore solutions. The event will employ a unique format to promote constructive and provocative dialogue between representatives from a variety of private and public sector entities interested in discussing a practical approach to a comprehensive energy policy. Unlike the average conference, symposium participants will interact with each other in substantive and stimulating sessions intended to encourage engagement between differing perspectives on critical issues. Key topics that will be addressed include modernizing and expanding America's energy infrastructure, such as making the "smart grid" a reality; promoting energy efficiency and conservation among industry and households; taking advantage of innovations such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; reducing reliance on foreign energy; and utilizing the nation's resources effectively.

With energy and climate policy being considered in the new Administration and Congress, the symposium will provide a timely and informative forum to discuss policy developments and progress towards reform. The Reform Institute’s Center for Energy and Environmental Progress is committed to advancing reforms that promote resilience in American energy. An Institute white paper last year, The Smart Alternative: Securing and Strengthening Our Nation’s Vulnerable Electric Grid, examined the benefits and obstacles to implementing a smart grid. A report to be released at the symposium will explore initiatives around the country to make the smart grid a reality. A new brief, Resilience in Energy: Building Infrastructure Today for Tomorrow’s Automotive Fuel, analyzes enhancements to the electrical grid necessary to facilitate the widespread adoption of plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. The Institute will release a paper in advance of the symposium that will assess the issues behind America’s energy crisis and serve as a discussion guide for the symposium.

What: Reforming American Energy: Encouraging Innovation, Producing Solutions

When: Tuesday, April 21, 2009
8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where: Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, Columbia A & B
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC

Current Keynote Speaker and Moderators Include:
The Honorable John McCain, United States Senate
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former Director of the Congressional Budget Office
Commissioner Marc Spitzer, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Susan McGinnis, Clean Skies TV
David Brewster, President, EnerNOC

Confirmed Participants Include:
Paul Bateman, TRI Valley Corp.; Alex Beehler, Plexus Logistics International; Denise Bode, American Wind Energy Association; Dr. Woodrow Clark II, Milken Institute and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; Dr. David Doty, Doty Energy; Dave Conover, National Commission on Energy Policy; Timothy King, Alliance for Cooperative Innovation; Jason LeVecke, MJKL Enterprises; Alice Lippert, U.S. Department of Energy; Andrew Littlefair, Clean Energy Corp.; Arthur Locke, Alcatel-Lucent; Cecilia Martinez, Reform Institute; Kenneth Nahigian, Nahigian Strategies, LLC; Cindy Ortega, MGM MIRAGE; Mark Perry, Nissan; Bill Price, Price Oil and Gas; Jeff Probst, Blue Sun Biodiesel; Ed Regan, Gainesville Regional Utilities; Barbara Slayton, Lockheed Martin; Dudley Sondeno, Southwest Gas Corp.; Eric Spiegel, Booz Allen Hamilton; Peter Thompson, Chubb Commercial Insurance; B. Keith Trent, Duke Energy Corp.; Maria Vargas, Energy Star; Harry Wingo, Google; Kathrin Winkler, EMC Corp.; Kurt Yeager, Galvin Electricity Initiative

Please RSVP at http://www.reforminstitute.org/DetailEvents.aspx?eid=58&cid=
Contact Chris Dreibelbis at 703-535-6897x12 or chris@reforminstitute.org with any questions or to speak with Reform Institute experts

Sponsor: The Reform Institute (www.reforminstitute.org)

The Reform Institute is a non-partisan, not-for-profit educational organization working to strengthen the foundations of our democracy and build a resilient society. The Institute formulates and advocates valuable, solutions-based reforms in vital areas of public policy, including homeland and national security, energy and environmental progress, economic opportunity and competitiveness, immigration policy, and governance and election reform. Visit our website at www.reforminstitute.org.

###