2016 Press Releases

National Archives Hosts Special Political Program with Lee Hamilton on April 27
Press Release · Thursday, April 14, 2016

Washington, DC

Congress, Presidents, and American Politics

Washington, DC…On Wednesday, April 27, at 7 p.m., the National Archives will present a special program and panel discussion titled: “Congress, Presidents, and American Politics: Fifty Years of Writings and Reflections with Lee Hamilton.” Tom Edsall, New York Times columnist, will moderate a discussion with Mr. Hamilton and Ray LaHood, former Secretary of the Department of Transportation and former member of Congress. Book signings will follow the program. This event is presented in partnership with the US Association of Former Members of Congress.

This event is free and open to the public and will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, and live streamed on the National Archives YouTube Channel. Attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW. Metro accessible on the Yellow and Green lines, Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter station.

Lee Hamilton, former member of Congress (D-IN) and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, is author of the new book Congress, Presidents, and American Politics Fifty Years of Writings and Reflections. He offers frank and surprising reflections on Congress and the presidency, arguing that there are valuable lessons to be learned from the past. When he joined the Congress in 1965, he began writing commentaries for his constituents describing his experiences, impressions, and developing views of what was right and wrong in American politics.

Ray LaHood is former Secretary of the Department of Transportation, former member of Congress (R-IL), and author of Seeking Bipartisanship: My Life in Politics. He served as the 16th Department of Transportation Secretary from 2009 to 2013. Previously, he served from 1995 to 2009 in the US House of Representatives (on behalf of the 18th District of Illinois and also served on various House committees, including the Appropriations and Intelligence Committees.

Tom Edsall, New York Times columnist, has been teaching political journalism at Columbia University since 2006. He has been a weekly contributor to The New York Times online Opinion Pages since 2011. Previously, he covered politics for The Washington Post The Baltimore Sun and The Providence Journal. He has written five books: The Age of Austerity; Building Red America; Chain Reaction: The Impact of Race, Rights and Taxes on American Politics; Power and Money:  Writing About Politics, and The New Politics of Inequality.

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For press information contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.

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