PRESS RELEASE from Democratic National Committee

For Immediate Release
July 12, 2012
 Contact: DNC Press
 
Washington D.C. — Today, the Democratic National Committee and Obama for America announced the 2012 Platform process.  In the weeks leading up to the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC, Democrats from across the country will come together to draft a Platform that outlines Democratic priorities and highlights the President’s vision for the middle class and his efforts to create an economy that’s built to last.
 
A national hearing will take place July 27-29, 2012 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The hearing will include an opportunity for the public to make presentations before the Platform Drafting Committee.  The Committee will then meet to draft the 2012 Democratic Platform which will ultimately be used as a working document by the full Platform Committee.
 
The Platform Drafting Committee will be chaired by former Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio.  Named to serve as members on the committee are former U.S. Representative Tony Coelho, Tino Cuellar, U.S. Representative Barney Frank, Donna Harris-Aikens, Colin Kahl, Nancy Keenan, Heather Kendall Miller, Thea Lee, U.S. Representative Barbara Lee, Susan Ness, Mayor Michael Nutter, Carlos Odio, former U.S. Representative Robert Wexler and Christen Young.  Serving as ex-officio members are Governor Deval Patrick, DNC Secretary Alice Germond, and Tom Wheeler.
 
The Committee is accepting requests to testify and written testimony via online portal at www.democrats.org/platform.  All submissions must be received prior to 5pm EST on Friday, July, 20, 2012 and will be provided to the Drafting Committee.
 
The full Platform Committee will meet August 10-12, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. At this meeting, members will discuss the draft Platform and will have the opportunity to submit new proposed amendments to the draft, which need to be approved by a majority of the Committee voting and present. The Platform will then be presented to Convention delegates in Charlotte. 
 
The full Platform Committee will be chaired by Mayor Cory Booker and Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy (Ret.). Andrew Grossman will serve as National Platform Director.
 
In addition to the Platform Committee, the Convention Rules and Credentials Committees will meet the weekend before the Convention in Charlotte.  All three committees consist of two co-Chairs, four Vice Chairs, 25 Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) members who were elected by the DNC Executive Committee, and an additional 161 members elected by each of the states and territories.
 
The Rules Committee is chaired by State Attorney General Kamala Harris and Governor Martin O’Malley.  The Credentials Committee is chaired by Mayor Julian Castro and Bishop Vashti McKenzie.
 
Meetings of the Convention Standing Committees are open to the public and press.
 
Attached to this email are the Standing Committee Members who were ratified by the DNC Executive Committee in April.