Panelists from media outlets and disability advocacy groups spoke at the RespectAbility USA forum on equality for hiring people with disabilities in the entertainment industry. During the afternoon session, experts discussed a range of issues, including better hiring practices in Hollywood, creating disability inclusion programs in the workforce, using social media to spread the message of diversity, and openly addressing the attitudes toward people with physical and mental disabilities.
Lawyer and Republican activist Harmeet Dhillon spoke to attendees of the 2017 National Conservative Student Conference hosted by the Young America's Foundation in Washington, DC, focusing her talk on the issue of free speech on college campuses. She recalled her own time as an undergraduate student at Dartmouth University and as a law student at the University of Virginia before talking about recent cases of campus speech controversies at the University of California - Berkeley.
Jonah Goldberg, the conservative columnist and National Review senior editor, spoke to attendees of the 2017 National Conservative Student Conference hosted by the Young America's Foundation in Washington, DC, focusing his talk on the conservative movement beyond the presidency of Donald Trump. Mr. Goldberg did not support Mr. Trump's candidacy, and spoke at length about his opposition to the candidate. He talked about ways conservative students could persuasively talk to their peers about policy issues, and later took questions from the audience.
Two House Veterans' Affairs subcommittees held a joint hearing examining how the Veterans Affairs Department reviews Gulf War illness claims. A report released by the Government Accountability Office found that the VA denies more than 80% of claims for benefits in Gulf War associated illnesses. The report also found that ninety percent of VA medical examiners have no training on how to conduct Gulf War illness exams. Witnesses included representatives from the Veterans Affairs Department, the Government Accountability Office and veterans' advocates groups.
The Senate Finance Committee hosted former assistant treasury secretaries to discuss the decisions and challenges involved in crafting tax legislation. Officials from the Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama administrations answered senators' questions and made their recommendations for how best to achieve successful, lasting tax policy, including code simplification and bi-partisan cooperation.
Officials from the FBI and General Services Administration (GSA) testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the future of the FBI headquarters. According to GSA acting commissioner Michael Gelber, the FBI consolidation project was cancelled due to a budget shortfall of $882 million dollars. Committee members expressed concern over the GSA's decision to cancel the proposal without notifying Congress. FBI Chief Financial Officer Richard Haley said the infrastructure of the current FBI headquarters is inefficient and doesn't allow the agency to effectively carry out its mission.
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy hosted a discussion on the threat of lone wolf terrorism. Panelists included Israeli counterterrorism experts along with scholars from Georgetown University and the Washington Institute. They discussed the motivations and various tactics of lone wolf terrorists and the challenges faced by law enforcement officials. In addition, speakers provided recommendations for countering online radicalization and gathering intelligence on lone wolf attackers.
The Medicare Board of Trustees issued its 2017 report saying the federal health care program will remain solvent through 2029. A forum was held to examine some of the report's other findings and to discuss ways to improve Medicare's longterm fiscal condition. Speakers included the chief actuary of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The event was hosted by the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC.
Randy Barnett and Paul Kens talked about the 1905 U.S. Supreme Court case Lochner v. New York in which the court voted 5-4 to strike down a state law restricting the number of hours that a baker could work. Instead the court held that the liberty to enter into contracts was protected by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. For more than two decades, the precedents set in this case favored employers in cases involving issues such as child labor laws and minimum wages.
Randy Barnett and Paul Kens talked about the 1905 U.S. Supreme Court case Lochner v. New York in which the court voted 5-4 to strike down a state law restricting the number of hours that a baker could work. Instead the court held that the liberty to enter into contracts was protected by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. For more than two decades, the precedents set in this case favored employers in cases involving issues such as child labor laws and minimum wages.
Randy Barnett and Paul Kens talked about the 1905 U.S. Supreme Court case Lochner v. New York in which the court voted 5-4 to strike down a state law restricting the number of hours that a baker could work. Instead the court held that the liberty to enter into contracts was protected by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. For more than two decades, the precedents set in this case favored employers in cases involving issues such as child labor laws and minimum wages.
