Capital Conference 2006

Despite overlapping with President Bush’s State of the Union Address, this year’s Capital Conference, held January 31–February 1 in Washington, DC, was a complete success with high attendance rates and informative lectures on issues pertinent to the work of the local prosecutor. A myriad of topics were highlighted ranging from DNA, to student loan forgiveness, to the methamphetamine epidemic hitting our nation. U.S. Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Indiana representative Mark Souder (R-IN) served as the conference’s keynote speakers welcoming more than 100 prosecuting attorneys from across the nation.

NDAA Capital Conference Slide Show

To kick off the conference, David LaBahn, executive director of the California District Attorneys Association spoke about DNA database expansion initiatives to include more data than is currently available. Marianne Upton, general counsel to Senator Durbin (D-IL), assistant minority leaser, and Kenneth Goldsmith, legislative counsel of the Americn Bar Association, addressed the topic of student loan forgiveness.

Katherine Duckworth, legislative assistant to Senator James Talent (R-MO), and Steven Cash, general counsel and advisor to Senator Feinstein (D-CA) spoke about legislation related to the methamphetamine epidemic sweeping the country. The discussion centered on the merging of two existing bills: Senate Bill 103, Combat Methamphetamine Act of 2005, and House Bill 3889, Methamphetamine Epidemic Elimination Act of 2005. These two bills will join forces to create the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2006. The members of NDAA attended a White House briefing with presentations by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales; Regina Schofield, assistant attorney general for the Office of Justice Programs; and Scott Burns, deputy director, Office of State and Local Affairs, Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Following discussion about methamphetamine, NDAA President Paul Logli turned the focus to funding for the National Advocacy Center (NAC) in South Carolina. While $4.5 million has been earmarked for NAC funding for the upcoming year, Paul Logli made it clear that by 2007, NDAA would like to secure permanent funding for this valuable training resource.

San Mateo County, CA, District Attorney James Fox and Polk County, IA, Attorney John Sarcone hosted a discussion about the development of a prosecutor caucus in the House and the Senate. The caucus would include members who had at one time served as local prosecutors and would dedicate its work to issues that relate to state and local prosecution. A few criminal justice oriented caucuses currently exist bicamerally, however, this caucus would be the first to focus primarily on those issues that affect local prosecutors. In addition, the caucus would recognize the special contributions that members of Congress have made to law enforcement and prosecution.

NDAA Capital Reception Slide Show

Following the first day of conference activity, attendees and presenters gathered at NDAA’s Capital Reception where NDAA President Logli presented Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) with the 2006 NDAA President’s Award. Other recipients of the award were Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH). Speaking as a former prosecutor, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry addressed attendees about the critical work of state and local prosecutors and their importance in the pursuit of justice.

I would like to thank everyone who attended this year’s Capital Conference. The local prosecutor occupies a position of great leadership and responsibility and NDAA looks forward to continued work championing the causes of prosecutors. I am anticipating another successful conference next year.