71177_CAL_NECOUNCIL _CVR:Layout 1 4/7/09 12:06 PM Page 1 2008 New England Council Offices Boston 98 North Washington St. Suite 201 Boston, MA 02114 Phone: 617-723-4009 Fax: 617-723-3943 Email: [email protected] Washington 331 Constitution Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone: 202-547-0048 Fax: 202-547-9149 Email: [email protected] The New England Council gratefully acknowledges Northeast Utilities System for its support in the production of this report. Photo credits: Image Photo (Margaret Brett Hastings), Harry Brett Photography THE YEAR IN REVIEW Regional Priorities & Programs 71177_CAL_NECOUNCIL _CVR:Layout 1 4/7/09 12:06 PM Page 3 71177_CAL_NECOUNCIL _TXT:Layout 1 4/1/09 6:48 AM Page 1 2008 PRESIDENT’S LETTER Dear New England Council Member: By the end of 2008, grim economic news seemed to dominate every day’s head- lines. And, the outlook ahead is uncertain. Banking and credit markets remain turbulent. Energy costs have seen extraordinary highs and lows. Unemployment continues to rise and consumer spending is lagging. It is a daunting, difficult environment – and policymakers in Washington are struggling with decisions that have far-reaching consequences for our region. Each major sector we represent in our membership – whether healthcare, energy, financial services, transportation, technology or higher education – is under enor- James T. Brett mous pressure at this point in time. And, each sector potentially faces a significant degree of governmental involvement in its business in the year ahead. Whether it is aggressive “re-regulation” of the financial services industry or an overhaul of the healthcare system, the reality is that congressional and regulatory activity will have a direct effect on the organizations that call New England home. Your active involvement in Council efforts, particularly through participation on our six public policy committees, helps us keep our efforts focused on those issues that are most relevant to the region’s economic success and quality of life. As you page through this book, you will note the extraordinary degree of access our members enjoy with New England’s Congressional delegation and other political leaders. The Council’s primary goal is to help create effective dialogue with these decision-makers so they understand the consequences of their actions on our members throughout the region. Maintaining a healthy financial services sector, educating and transforming our future workforce, maintaining a comprehensive and reliable transportation infra- structure, creating incentives for entrepreneurship and innovative research, providing a clean environment and reducing energy costs and creating a health- care system that provides the best treatment for patients with equitable reimburse- ment to the payers, providers and suppliers involved continue to be at the center of the Council’s efforts in Washington. As always, we appreciate your ongoing support and look forward to working with you in the challenging year ahead to support policies that are beneficial to our special region’s economy and quality of life. Very truly yours, James T. Brett President and CEO 1 71177_CAL_NECOUNCIL _TXT:Layout 1 4/1/09 6:48 AM Page 2 2 71177_CAL_NECOUNCIL _TXT:Layout 1 4/1/09 6:48 AM Page 3 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Public Policy Advocacy . 5 Energy & Environment . 5 Financial Services . 8 Healthcare . 10 Higher Education . 12 Technology . 13 Transportation . 15 II. Council Initiatives . 17 New England Older Workers Initiative . 17 Children’s Health Project . 17 Student Loan Survey . 18 Manufacturing in New England . 18 III. Programs and Events . 19 Conferences, Forums and Meetings . 19 Congressional Roundtable Series . 21 Speakers . 23 2008 Annual Dinner . 24 Capitol Hill Activities . 25 IV. Communications and Publications . 28 V. Published Articles . 29 VI. New Council Members . 30 VII. Board of Directors . 31 VIII. New England Congressional Directory . 35 3 71177_CAL_NECOUNCIL _TXT:Layout 1 4/1/09 6:48 AM Page 4 WELCOME The New England Council, the country’s oldest regional business organization, is an alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public, private and nonprofit organizations, working together to promote economic growth and a high quality of life throughout the region. The Council is dedicated to identifying and supporting federal public policies and articulating the voice of its membership on important issues facing New England. The New England Council is also committed to working with public and private sector leaders across the region and in Washington through educational programs and forums for information exchange. The Council’s consensus policy recommendations are currently generated through six member committees: I Energy and Environment Committee: addresses federal legislation and regula- tory activity that impacts the region’s energy markets and environmental land- scape; I Financial Services Committee: works to support public policy priorities that will strengthen the industry and monitor regulatory and legislative changes that affect the sector; I Healthcare Committee: strategizes and develops an advocacy plan for health care proposals, assesses the industry and its impact on the economy in terms of Medicare and other government programs; I Higher Education Committee: examines federal public policies and regional initiatives and develops advocacy strategies and position statements that benefit New England’s higher education institutions; I Technology Committee: works to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, research and development tax credits and funding, and to align the curriculum of the region’s higher education institutions with the needs of the business community; and, I Transportation Committee: works to provide a cohesive New England message on transportation funding and legislation before Congress. New England Council staff in Boston and Washington work with our policy committees to develop policy agendas. They also continually monitor develop- ments at the federal level that affect issues important to the region’s economic growth. Each week Congress is in session, the Council’s Washington staff provides timely updates and analysis for each committee via the Weekly Washington Report. 4 71177_CAL_NECOUNCIL _TXT:Layout 1 4/1/09 6:48 AM Page 5 2008 I. PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY The 2008 political year was dominated by a historic nominating process and presi- dential election, and as expected, much of the political rhetoric from the campaign trail spilled over to Capitol Hill, slowing progress on a number of long-term Council priorities. But despite an environment that often lent itself to inactivity, the Council was proud to celebrate a number of victories in 2008 – many with the help of an active and influential New England Congressional delegation. These positive developments include a revival of the critical Research & Development tax credit, approval of a long-term funding and strategic blueprint for Amtrak, and vital steps to strengthen the financial services industry. The Council was successful in efforts to dramatically increase home heating funding during a time of great volatility in energy markets, pass a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act to increase student loan capabilities, and bring together federal, state, and local leaders at a regional transportation summit to highlight the importance of regional cooperation in the 2009 surface transportation bill. The year 2008 ended with Congress and the President failing to reach agreement on a number of Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations bills, passing a multi-month Continuing Resolution through late winter 2009 and allowing the 111th Congress to direct annual funding for the second half of FY09. Included in the Continuing Resolution was temporary funding for such Council priorities as the National Institutes of Health, the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository and federal student loan programs. The New England Council is pleased to highlight some of our successes from 2008 and our priorities for 2009 and the 111th Congress. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT The Energy and Environment Committee, chaired by Mark Kalpin, Partner at WilmerHale, highlighted an active year with a Capitol Hill meeting in June to release the Council’s “Framework for A National Program to Address Climate Change.” The Council’s white paper focused on the need for a national cap-and- trade program to address climate change. The Washington meeting attracted staff from over a dozen offices of the New England congressional delegation and was followed up by Council members and staff meeting with almost every delegation office, as well as a full meeting of the Committee in WilmerHale’s Washington, DC office. The Energy & Environment Committee also held meetings in Boston in January and October, hosting public and private-sector speakers on the impor- tance of long-term, balanced and forward-thinking energy policies. 5 71177_CAL_NECOUNCIL _TXT:Layout 1 4/7/09 11:39 AM Page 6 A. Climate Change Efforts New England’s economic health is closely tied to the health of its environment, and the region continues to suffer from pollution generated elsewhere that gets swept into the Northeast. In addition, 2008 was a year that saw the price of oil reach $145 a barrel and gas exceed $4 a gallon. The volatility of unpredictable energy prices underscores the importance of increasing domestic sources of renewable and alternative forms of energy – while recognizing the importance traditional sources