Beginning on Wednesday, the Democratic Party plans to hold a two-day forum in Washington DC to solicit public testimony on the national platform. Details on when and where the forum will take place were released to press on Saturday. The forum was announced on May 27.
On Wednesday, June 8th and Thursday, June 9th at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., the 2016 Democratic Platform Drafting Committee will hold the first in a series of regional events. The forum is broken up into three thematic sessions, the first beginning at 1:30 pm on Wednesday and scheduled to go to 5 pm. Thursday has two sessions scheduled, a morning session from 9 am to 12 pm, and and afternoon session from 1 pm to 5 pm.
Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Platform Drafting Chair Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), and Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) CEO, Rev. Leah D. Daughtry will deliver opening remarks at the forum. The Drafting Committee will then hear from policy experts and other Democrats, chosen from people who have applied to testify.
The schedule for Wednesday involves one afternoon session entitled “Leveling the Playing Field: Creating Opportunity and Removing Barriers.” Thursday morning is “Moving America Forward: Education, Jobs, and the Economy,” and the afternoon is “America’s Role in the World.”
Although there are not explicit references to climate, energy, and the environment in the session titles, it is expected to come up in public testimony.
The Platform Drafting Committee includes two prominent environmentalists, one chosen by each campaign. Bill McKibben, the founder of 350.org, was selected by the Sanders campaign. Carol Browner, the former EPA Administrator under Clinton’s husband, and the chair of the League of Conservation Voters (which endorsed Hillary Clinton last fall), was selected by the Clinton campaign. Browner works for the international lobbying and consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group.
See below for the full press release:
MEDIA ADVISORY
Democratic National Convention Committee Convenes Mid-Atlantic Democratic Platform Forum
Democrats Asked to Make their Voices Heard by Providing Written Testimony, Submitting Video Testimony or Requesting to Appear in Person
PHILADELPHIA, PA – On Wednesday, June 8th and Thursday, June 9th at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., the 2016 Democratic Platform Drafting Committee will hold the first in a series of regional events designed to engage every voice in the Party. Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Platform Drafting Chair Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), and Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) CEO, Rev. Leah D. Daughtry will deliver opening remarks at the forum. The Drafting Committee will then hear from policy experts and Democrats from all walks of life to inform the Democratic National Platform.
In an effort to welcome every voice in the Party, the DNCC has announced multiple ways in which the public can participate in the series of regional events. Democrats interested in providing testimony can go to www.demconvention.com/platform to submit written or video testimony. Members of the public interested in attending the events can also RSVP online; seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.
WHAT: Democratic National Platform Forum
WHEN: Wednesday, June 8 , 2016
Session 1 – 1:30 to 5:00 PM
Leveling the Playing Field: Creating Opportunity and Removing
Barriers
Thursday, June 9 , 2016
Session 2 – 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Moving America Forward: Education, Jobs, and the Economy
Session 3 –1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
America’s Role in the World
(All times are approximate)
WHERE: The Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008
All Platform forums and meetings will be live streamed atwww.demconvention.com/platform and open to press. Members of the media interested in attending must RSVP by emailing [email protected] Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at 5:00 PM ET.
About the Democratic National Convention
The 2016 Democratic Convention will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia July 25-28, 2016. Working in partnership with the Philadelphia Host Committee, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, our goal is to make this the most engaging, innovative and forward looking Convention in history. The 2016 Democratic National Convention will leverage technology to take the Convention experience well beyond the hall in an effort to engage more Americans than ever before in the event. With the birthplace of American Democracy as a backdrop, the 2016 convention in Philadelphia will highlight our shared Democratic values and help put the Democratic nominee on a path to victory.
The CEO for the 2016 Democratic National Convention is Reverend Leah D. Daughtry.
The DNCC will hold platform events in the following locations: Mid-Atlantic – Washington, DC on June 8 and 9 (forum with testimony); Southwest – Phoenix, Arizona on June 17 and 18 (forum with testimony); Midwest – St. Louis, Missouri on June 24 and 25 (drafting committee meeting); Southeast – Orlando, Florida on July 8 and 9 (platform committee meeting). Members of the public will be admitted to platform events on a first come, first served basis.
The official website of the 2016 Democratic National Convention is www.demconvention.com