from the PIC website: http://2013pic.org/weekend/open-houses

Agency Open Houses

On Friday, January 18th, come and learn more about the resources and work at some of the Departments in the Executive Branch! Learn more about each opportunity and RSVP here. These are all free and open to the public.

Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) impacts every American, every day. USDA programs help provide an abundant and safe food supply, natural resource conservation, groundbreaking research, clean energy, and much more. You can learn more about this work at USDA’s Open House, located directly on the National Mall. Special exhibits will be available highlighting the tremendous contributions of rural America, and USDA’s efforts to provide new opportunities through the bio-based economy, local and regional food systems, new advancements in conservation and more. Don’t forget to check out our People’s Garden and meet our Executive Master Gardeners!

Visitors have the opportunity to visit USDA from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Tours of the USDA People’s Garden will be led by Executive Master Gardeners at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Where: USDA Jamie L. Whitten Building
Address: 1400 Jefferson Dr SW, Washington, DC 20250
Directions: Visitors enter the Jamie L. Whitten Building located on the National Mall through the building’s Jefferson Drive entrance.
When: 10:00am-2:00pm

Department of Commerce

“Building it Here, Selling it Everywhere”

The U.S. Department of Commerce will host an open house panel discussion on “Building it Here, Selling it Everywhere.” The program will be built around Commerce’s key priorities, including manufacturing, innovation and exports. Department officials will be on hand to talk about how our work on these initiatives plays a key role in creating jobs here at home and making us more competitive abroad.

  • Bruce Andrews, Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary of Commerce
  • Patrick Gallagher, Under Secretary of Commerce for Science and Technology and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
  • Francisco Sanchez, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade
  • Matthew Erskine, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development

Where: U.S Department of Commerce Auditorium
Address: 1401 Constitution Ave NW
Directions: Enter on the Main Entrance on 14th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania
When: 1:00pm – 2:30pm

“Technology, Innovation, and Job Creation”

Learn more about Administration initiatives that drive technological progress and job creation at an open house hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and agencies from the U.S. Department of Commerce (the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) will discuss key activities that help bolster the economy, including open data initiatives, tech transfer, patent reform and internet policy.

  • U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park will talk about the Administration’s Open Data Initiatives that are fueling American job growth, the Presidential Innovation Fellows program and how additional Presidential priorities are being addressed with technology.
  • Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information Larry Strickling will focus on broadband deployment and adoption in the U.S. and protecting online privacy.
  • Under Secretary for Standards and Technology Patrick Gallagher will talk about the role of research and standards in the technology life cycle and cybersecurity.
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Deputy Director Terry Rea will talk about patent reform implementation and its impact on the tech and broader economy.

Where: U.S Department of Commerce Auditorium
Address: 1401 Constitution Ave NW
Directions: Enter on the Main Entrance on 14th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania
When: 3:00pm – 4:30pm

Department of Health & Human Services

The countdown to coverage has begun! HHS is working to implement ObamaCare (the Affordable Care Act) and expand insurance coverage to 30 million Americans in the next few years. Want to learn more about how the law will impact you, your family and your community? Join us at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to learn more about the law and how we are working to keep the country healthy.

Visitors have the opportunity to visit HHS at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., or 3:00 p.m. Visitors enter the Hubert Humphrey Building located on the corner of 3rd St SW and Independence Avenue SW, by the Federal Center SW Metro Station on the Orange and Blue Lines.

Where: Hubert Humphrey Building
Address: 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201
Directions: The corner of 3rd St SW and Independence Avenue SW. Closest Metro Stop is Federal Center SW Metro Station on the Orange and Blue Lines.
When: 10:00am, 1:00 pm, or 3:00pm

The Department of Interior

The Department of the Interior will host an Open House and tours of its Historic Mural collection which portray the strong cultural history and spectacular landscapes of our public lands. Created during the Great Depression, the Department of the Interior’s murals are the product of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal and Ansel Adams: The Mural Project 1941-1942, which was envisioned by the artist and then-Secretary of the Interior, Harold Ickes. The artists who created the murals represent some of the finest American painters of the 1930s. The Open House also provides participants an opportunity to visit with Bureau representatives and learn more about the important work of the Department of the Interior and its offices and Bureaus.

Where: The U.S. Department of Interior Library
Address: 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20024
Directions: The Interior Library at the Main Interior Building is located between C and E streets, at 18th Street Northwest. To reach the Interior Library by Metro, take the Blue or Orange line to the Farragut West station. Exit at 18th Street and walk five (5) blocks south to the Main Interior Building. Visitors to the Main Interior Building are required to use the C Street entrance; however visitors with disabilities may use either the C or E Street entrances. Visitors to the building are required to show a valid picture ID. The Library is located near the C Street entrance lobby.
When: Open House: 1:00pm - 4:00pm; Mural Tours: Conducted every half hour from 1:00pm – 4:00pm.


Department of Labor

The Department of Labor will host a day-long virtual open house where it will highlight the important services that the Department provides for American workers through its various agencies, ranging from job-readiness and workforce development to worker protections in the fields of health and safety, wage theft, pensions, and civil rights in the federal contractor workplace.

Where: www.dol.gov


NASA

NASA will host a day-long Future Forum for guests to learn about the Agency’s current and future plans and programs. Administrator Charles Bolden and Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, along with senior managers and astronauts will engage with the audience on topics including:

  • Plans for Humans Space Flight
  • Importance of Technology and Innovation for our Economic Future
  • Science on the International Space Station
  • Curious about Mars: NASA’s ongoing and future missions to the Red Planet

Video presentations on NASA’s accomplishments and ongoing programs will be featured between topic sessions.

The Open House will be broadcast live on NASA TV and re-broadcasted throughout the weekend. A NASA Social (Tweet-up) is also taking place as part of the Open House as a special opportunity for social media activists to disseminate information from the briefings and to ask questions submitted by their followers.

In addition to the briefings, exhibits will be on display in both the West and East lobbies of NASA Headquarters. Exhibits will include static and interactive displays on Mars research, aeronautics, and advanced technologies.

Where: NASA Headquarters, James Webb Auditorium
Address: 300 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20546
Directions: NASA is located on the corner of 4th and E Streets SW. Two blocks south of Federal Center SW Metro
When: The Future Forum beings at 10:00 a.m. and concludes at 3:30 p.m.
Information: www.nasa.gov/Inaugural     [more]


Small Business Administration and General Services Administration

The Small Business Administration, General Services Administration, and other Federal agencies are partnering to open their doors for an open house to provide information on the Obama Administration's work with small businesses, resources available to small business owners in local communities, and opportunities for small businesses to work with Federal agencies. Don’t forget to check out the GSA headquarters construction tour. The headquarters is currently undergoing its first full renovation in 70 years, and once completed, will double in capacity and will showcase the next generation of federal office space and green building technology!

Where: GSA Headquarters
Address: 1800 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20006 (Entrance on F St)
Directions: The event will take place in the front lobby hallway and the auditorium.
When: 12:00-4:00pm


Interagency Event: Mentoring and Stem- Cool Tools for your Community!

January is National Mentoring Month! The Departments of Transportation, Labor, Education, Energy, National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Personnel Management, and Corporation for National and Community Service will host an open house on “Mentoring and STEM -Cool Tools for Your Community”.

Participants will have the chance to gather tips for becoming a great mentor in your community. During this session, participants will have the chance to gather fun, interactive tools for mentoring youth in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Featured sessions will include focused sessions with senior Administration Officials, workshops about ‘girls and stem’, mentoring tips for parents, and more. This interactive open house will showcase hands on activities for mentors to use in their communities, mentoring tips, and opportunities to take the ‘mentoring pledge’.

Where: Federal Aviation Administration Building
Address: 800 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20591
Directions: All guests should enter at “C” STREET ENTRANCE
When: Session 1: 10:00-11:45 am (doors open -9:15);
Session 2: 1:00-2:30 pm (doors open-12:30);
Session 3: 3:30-5:30 pm (doors open-3:00)


U.S. Office of Personnel Management

Innovation Lab Open House & Innovation 101

Explore the Federal government’s Innovation Lab, and learn more about how OPM uses this lab to tackle difficult problems and to foster innovation within the Federal service. Sessions will also give an introduction to using innovation and human-centered design, and will discuss best practices learned from the private sector in developing the lab.

When: 10:00am-11:30am; 1:00pm – 2:30pm; 3:00pm – 4:30pm

Roundtable on Women in Public Service: How might we Increase Women in Public Leadership Positions?

Join a discussion with leaders from the public and private sectors on how we might increase leadership opportunities for women in public service. The roundtable will discuss barriers and best practices for placing women onto leadership tracks, and will overview the role of women in Federal service, local and state government, and in the non-profit sector.

When: 11:00am – 12:30pm

“Find & Apply” workshop

OPM will host a “Find and Apply for Federal Employment” for the public. Learn more about Federal service, and how to pursue employment. Learn to search for jobs, how to manage and create your account and profile (including resume), and tips on submitting applications following up on application status and much more.

When: 2:00pm – 3:30pm

All Events

Where: OPM’s Theodore Roosevelt Building
Address: 1900 E Street, NW 20052
Directions: Located next to the Department of Interior. Utilize E Street Entrance on the South Side of E Street.


White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Learn more about Administration initiatives that drive technological progress and job creation at an open house hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and agencies from the U.S. Department of Commerce (the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) will discuss key activities that help bolster the economy, including open data initiatives, tech transfer, patent reform and internet policy.

  • U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park will talk about the Administration’s Open Data Initiatives that are fueling American job growth, the Presidential Innovation Fellows program and how additional Presidential priorities are being addressed with technology.
  • Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information Larry Strickling will focus on broadband deployment and adoption in the U.S. and protecting online privacy.
  • Under Secretary for Standards and Technology Patrick Gallagher will talk about the role of research and standards in the technology life cycle and cybersecurity.
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Deputy Director Terry Rea will talk about patent reform implementation and its impact on the tech and broader economy.

Where: U.S. Department of Commerce Auditorium
Address: 1401 Constitution Ave NW
Directions: Enter on the Main Entrance on 14th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania Aves. NW.
When: 1/18/2013 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Capacity: The Auditorium has 486 seats
Tables will be set up for Department of Commerce bureaus to have a staff person and handouts for attendees. We will also have tables for light refreshments.




WASHINGTON, June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former Presidential Candidate Gary Bauer congratulated Governor Scott Walker for his win in Wisconsin's recall election, calling it "another sign that taxpayers will award office holders ready to do the hard work of reigning in out-of-control government spending."

Bauer, the chairman of the Campaign for Working Families,  made the following statement:

"I congratulate Governor Scott Walker for his hard-fought victory tonight, and most especially for having the courage of his convictions to fight the good fight. But the victory in Wisconsin is not Scott Walker's alone.  It is a victory for the hard-working taxpayers of Wisconsin, who foot the bill year after year.  It is a victory for common sense over powerful special interests.  It is a victory that taxpayers in every state can celebrate.  It is a victory, yes, even for some union members.

"Since Gov. Walker's reforms were enacted, tens of thousands of state employees have opted to keep more of the money they earn rather than let the public employees union siphon off their hard-earned dollars.  In other words, once given the choice, more than half of the public employees union's members decided that they didn't need the union.  These reforms will pay real dividends for the taxpayers of Wisconsin.  They are the real winners tonight.

"The recall election is a sign of good things to come.  The power of the Big Labor bosses has finally been checked, not just in Wisconsin, but also in scores of other states across the country.  More governors, legislators and taxpayers will be inspired to stand up against the liberal labor unions and do what is truly in the best interests of their communities.  Wisconsin's 10 Electoral College votes are now in play, and the anti-tax, small government movement that swept the country in 2010 is about to sweep Barack Obama out of office in 154 days!"

Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1drYR)