AP-Daybook-Thu-General

GENERAL

July 16 - 17. FALUN GONG PROTESTS — Thousands of Falun Gong practitioners and supporters will gather in the nation's capital to hold a series of public events. The purpose is to inform the public concerning China's persecution of Falun Gong and its practitioners, and support Chinese people's struggle for freedom under the communist regime. The activists will also urge Congress to pass House Resolution 343 (H.Res.343), which "condemns China's heinous practice of organ harvesting from Falun Gong detainees and other prisoners of conscience."

Highlights:

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Public Rally to Call for an End to the Persecution of Falun Gong. West Terrace Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. Grand March to Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong. Grand March from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument.

8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Candlelight Vigil. Washington Monument (area between 15th & 17th Street on Constitution Ave.).

Contacts: Dr. David Tian, david.y.tian@gmail.com, 410-870-7035

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ALL DAY

July 12 - 16. NASA - NEW HORIZONS - PLUTO — NASA is inviting media to cover the New Horizons spacecraft's closest approach and July 14 Pluto flyby from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, site of the mission operations center.

Contacts: Dwayne Brown, dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov, 202-358-1726

Laurie Cantillo, laura.l.cantillo@nasa.gov, 202-358-1077

On the Net: http://www.jhuapl.edu/MediaResources/

9 a.m. - 6 p.m. MAKE PROGRESS NATIONAL SUMMIT — Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Rep. Joaquin Castro, Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep. Congressman Lieu, Rashad Robinson, and Jose Antonio Vargas will keynote policy panels at Generation Progress' 10th Annual Make Progress National Summit. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will also deliver remarks.

Location: Walter Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place, NW.

Contacts: Jamal Little, jlittle@americanprogress.org, 202-741-6251

Notes: http://genprogress.org/about/national-conference/make-progress-national-summit-2015-press-registration-form/

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MORNING

8 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. CSIS - ARMY RESERVE — Half-day event highlighting the value that the United States Army Reserve brings to the nation. This event will provide insight into a wide range of perspectives, from Congress to currently serving Army Reserve members to Department of Defense officials who call upon the Army Reserve for a variety of federal missions at home and abroad. Keynote by Rep. Joseph Heck (R-NV), Chairman, House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Location: 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW.

Notes: http://csis.org/event/americas-army-reserve

8:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. DEFENSE ONE - INSIDER THREAT — Panel discussion, "Big Data: Predicting The Next DOD Insider Threat." With Patricia Larsen, Co-Director of the National Insider Threat Task Force; Mark Nehmer, Deputy Chief, Implementation, DoD Insider Threat Management and Analysis Center, Defense Security Service. Moderated By: Patrick Tucker, Technology Editor, Defense One.

Location: CEB Waterview Conference Center, 1919 North Lynn St., Arlington, VA.

Contacts: events@defenseone.com

9 a.m. ARLINGTON CEMETERY - TOMB OF THE UNKNOWNS — Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, Chief of the Joint Staff, Joint Staff Office, the Japan Self-Defense Forces, and Maj. Gen. Bradley A. Becker, commanding general, U.S. Army Military District of Washington, will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in honor of the admiral's visit to the United States.

Location: Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.

Contacts: Public Affairs Office (usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediades), 202-685-4645

Notes: Media interested in covering this event must register by 2 p.m., Wednesday, July 15. To be placed on the credentialed list, send an email to usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@mail.mil with the following information: your full name, media organization, contact phone number, and email address.

9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. AEI - HIGHER EDUCATION — An agenda for higher education reform: A keynote address by Senator Lamar Alexander.

Location: Wohlstetter Conference Center, 12th floor, AEI

Contacts: mediaservices@aei.org, 202-862-5829

10 a.m. EWG - CHEMICALS AND CANCER — The Environmental Working Group hosts a conference call with two of the leaders of the Halifax Project, a collaboration of international scientists and the nonprofit group Getting to Know Cancer that developed provocative new evidence suggesting that combinations of industrial chemicals that arent classified as carcinogens on their own may trigger cancer. The two project leaders and two independent scientists will discuss the findings. EWG will release its own analysis of the Halifax Project research in a new report titled, Rethinking Carcinogens.

Notes: To participate in the call, RSVP to Sara Sciammacco ssciammacco@ewg.org or Shannon Van Hoesen shannon@ewg.org.

10 a.m. - 11 a.m. USIP - CIVIL RESISTANCE — Discussion, "Civil Resistance and Peacebuilding: How They Connect." The panel will explore how nonviolent civil resistance and peacebuilding reinforce each other. How does civic mobilization fit into the larger peacebuilding agenda? How have nonviolent campaigns and movements contributed to long-term peace and stability? What are the theoretical and practical linkages that might prevent violent conflict and advance a "just peace"? Nancy Lindborg, Welcoming Remarks & Panelist, President, U.S. Institute of Peace; Kerri Kennedy, Panelist, Associate General Secretary for International Programs, American Friends Service Committee; Manal Omar, Panelist, Acting Vice President, Center for Middle East and Africa, U.S. Institute of Peace; Maria Stephan, Moderator, Senior Policy Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace.

Location: U.S. Institute of Peace, 2301 Constitution Ave. NW.

Contacts: Allison Sturma, asturma@usip.org

10 a.m. - 12 p.m. NOAA - RESCUE AID — Frank Rawley a recreational boater rescued off the coast of North Carolina, will join representatives from NOAA, NASA, and the U.S. Coast Guard to tell his story and how his life was saved with the help of NOAA weather satellites and the SARSAT rescue system.

Location: NOAA Satellite Operations Facility, 4231 Suitland Road, Suitland, MD.

Contacts: John Leslie, 301-713-0214

Notes: For security purposes, media must contact John Leslie (john.leslie@noaa.gov) in advance to indicate their participation. Media may also tour the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility.

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. CSIS - KENYA AND ETHIOPIA — "Policy Issues In Kenya and Ethiopia Ahead of President Obama's Trip." Featuring Mark Bellamy, Warburg Professor of International Relations, Simmons College, Former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya; EJ Hogendoorn, Deputy Program Director for Africa, International Crisis Group; Terrence Lyons, Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution, George Mason University; Sarah Margon, Washington Director, Human Rights Watch. Moderated by Jennifer Cooke, Director, CSIS Africa Program.

Location: 1st Floor Conference Room, 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW.

Notes: http://csis.org/event/policy-issues-kenya-and-ethiopia-ahead-president-obamas-trip

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AFTERNOON

12 p.m. HERITAGE - MELVIN LAIRD — The Heritage Foundation presents "Melvin Lairdand the Foundation of the Post-Vietnam Military, 1969-1973", Featuring author Richard Hunt.

Location: The Heritage Foundations Lehrman Auditorium. 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC

Contacts: Media Inquiries, 202-675-1761

Notes: RSVP at (202) 675-1752. www.heritage.org/Events/terms

12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. USDA STAKEHOLDER FORUM — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce the new Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (Section 9003 Program). The forum will highlight the growing bioeconomy and the Section 9003 Program's role in expanding opportunities to support renewable chemical and biobased product manufacturing. USDA Energy Division staff will discuss program improvements including expanded eligibility and application enhancements. In addition, a variety of stakeholders will share their perspectives on the new program.

Location: USDA Headquarters Whitten Building, Room 107-A 1400 Jefferson Drive, SW.

Notes: RSVP to EnergyDivision@wdc.usda.gov

1 p.m. - 2 p.m. NPC - FEDERAL WORKFOCE — Political scientist David E. Lewis will reveal the results of a survey of federal executives about the state of the federal workforce and personnel issues

Location: National Press Club, Zenger Room

Contacts: Melanie Moran (melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu), 615-473-2204

Notes: RSVP to melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. BPC - HOUSING FINANCE REFORM — The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will host a discussion on reforming the nation's housing finance system with U.S. Reps. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) and John Delaney (D-MD), members of the Financial Services Committee. The conversation will be moderated by Nick Timiraos, national economics correspondent with The Wall Street Journal.

Location: Bipartisan Policy Center, 1225 'Eye' Street, NW, Suite 1000.

Contacts: Joann Donnellan, jdonnellan@bipartisanpolicy.or, 703-966-1990

2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. GEORGETOWN LAW - ASYLUM SEEKERS — Georgetown Law and Jesuit Refugee Service/USA will co-host "Legal Challenges Facing Central American Asylum Seekers."

Location: 12th floor of the Gewirz Student Center, 120 F Street, NW.

Notes: Media interested in attending should email mediarelations@law.georgetown.edu.

2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. WILSON CENTER - AFRICAN WOMEN — "Engaging Women for Africa's Future: The Role of Women in Science, Technology, and Innovation." The Wilson Center Africa Program hosts a discussion on the issue of the gender gap in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), and how it relates to sustainable development in Africa. Southern Voices Network Scholar Ayodotun Bobadoye, a research officer at the African Technology Policy Studies Network in Nairobi, Kenya, will present his research and offer policy recommendations to both the U.S. government and African governments on how to increase the participation of women in STI for sustainable growth in Africa. Jennifer Haskell, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Cooperation at the Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs will speak to the U.S. perspective on the gender disparity in STI in Africa.

Location: Woodrow Wilson Center, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

Contacts: africa@wilsoncenter.org, 202-691-4000

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. ATLANTIC - WOMEN OF WASHINGTON — Cecilia Munoz, assistant to the President and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, joins the first installment of The Atlantic's 2015 "Women of Washington" series. Munoz will sit down with The Atlantic's Margaret Carlson to weigh in on the key issues driving U.S. domestic policy today, her work on immigration reform and share personal anecdotes about working in the White House.

Location: W Hotel, 515 15th Street NW.

Notes: Media wishing to attend should contact The Atlantic's Samantha Zeldin (szeldin@theatlantic.com). For those unable to attend in person, the event will be webcast live on TheAtlantic.com/live.

4 p.m. - 5 p.m. CSIS - JAPAN - U.S. — The CSIS International Security Program and Japan Chair presents "Transition and Progress of the Japan-U.S. Alliance." Featuring Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, Japan Self-Defense Forces. Introduction and commentary by Ambassador Richard L. Armitage, President, Armitage International; Former Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State. Moderated by Dr. Kathleen Hicks, Senior Vice President, Henry A. Kissinger Chair, and Director, International Security Program, CSIS.

Location: 2nd Floor Conference Center, CSIS, 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW.

Notes: http://my.csis.org/csis/CSIS1700/CSISEventRegistration.aspx?eventcode=2015_347

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EVENING

5 p.m. CSIS - THE REBEL OF RANGOON — Book discussion with author Delphine Schrank, former correspondent in Burma for The Washington Post.

Location: 1st Floor Conference Room Center for Strategic and International Studies 1616 Rhode Island Ave, N.W., Washington D.C

Contacts: externalrelations@csis.org

5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. AEI - ARTHUR BROOKS — "The conservative heart: Arthur Brooks on building a fairer, happier, and more prosperous America.". Brooks will be joined by Brit Hume, veteran journalist and Fox News senior political analyst, to discuss the book and the future of the conservative movement.

Location: Wohlstetter Conference Center, 12th floor, AEI.

Contacts: mediaservices@aei.org, 202-862-5829

Notes: A book signing and reception will follow.

7 p.m. NATIONAL ARCHIVES - CIVIL RIGHTS — The National Archives hosts a special "Writers and Scholars Roundtable on Civil Rights." Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Taylor Branch, Gilbert King, and Diane McWhorter will be joined by Clarence Jones, noted civil rights activist, personal counsel and adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These experts will explore some of the critical and little known events of the Civil Rights era, and share personal accounts. Journalist, author, and National Archives Foundation Chair A'Lelia Bundles will moderate. The program will include a short performance by the Howard University vocal jazz ensemble Afro Blue, and a book signing will follow. Presented in partnership with the 2015 March on Washington Film Festival.

Location: William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Museum. (Attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution at 7th Street NW.)

Contacts: n/a, 202-357-5300