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The Standing Panel on the Federal System brings together people from in and out
of the Academy to consider challenges and issues related to the U.S. federal system
and intergovernmental relations.
More specific
interests include the dynamics of national-state, national-local,
interstate, state-local, and interlocal relations in the United
States, and central-local relations in other countries. The
panel's interests also include relationships between the governmental
and nongovernmental or independent sectors in the United States
and other federal and intergovernmental systems, relationships
with citizens and their government, and the dynamics of the
interaction between federal/intergovernmental systems and
global developments.
The Standing Panel on the Federal System is chaired by
Paul Posner *
from George Mason University. He took the place of former Chair Beth Kellar, Deputy Executive Director of
the International City/County Management Association.
The panel convenes at the Academy's annual meetings for all Fellows and conducts smaller discussion meetings at the Academy and in other locations during the course of the year. The panel has also sponsored occasional larger conferences and papers, and is currently organizing a
book of new articles on intergovernmental relations.
July 31, 2008—The July 2008 meeting of the Standing Panel on the Federal System featured a discussion of the role the Academy might play during the upcoming Presidential transition for both a new Administration and Congress. Michael Springer, Senior Analyst at the Government Accountability Office, drafted and presented a paper which proved to be an excellent vehicle to spark discussion of key intergovernmental management issues. The Panel decided to pursue a phased strategy, starting with the preparation of a short paper highlighting the importance of intergovernmental issues for the major elements of the emergent domestic agenda and then itemizing some of the important questions that a new Administration will face as it develops and implements its policy strategy.
Read meeting minutes
May 27, 2008—The May 2008 meeting of the Standing Panel on the Federal System featured a discussion on the intergovernmental management issues that the next Administration faces and potential roles that the Panel might play in the transition. The Academy was pleased to have two guest speakers share their experiences working in the White House Intergovernmental Affairs Office: Marcia Hale, former Assistant to President Clinton and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Maggie Grant, former Special Assistant for Intergovernmental Affairs in the George W. Bush Administration. The meeting was also attended by senior leadership of the state and local government associations.
Listen to a recording of the meeting’s discussion by clicking here.
Read meeting minutes
November 14, 2007—The Panel discussed the value and effectiveness of Executive Orders as a means of communicating a federalism agenda. The Panel also brainstormed how the Academy could help define the relationship between federal, state, and local governments for the benefit of the incoming 2009 Presidential administration. The Academy was honored to have two guest speakers present their views at the meeting: Beverly Cigler, Fellow, Professor of Public Policy and Administration, School of Public Affairs, Penn State Harrisburg, and Sally Katzen, Fellow, Adjunct Professor and Public Interest/Public Service Fellow, University of Michigan Law School.
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September 26, 2007—At this session, the Panel examined the record of the Bush Administration on federalism issues. Have its policies collectively maintained, enhanced or undermined the position of states and localities in our system, and what are the implications for the next Administration and Congress? The Academy was honored to have Timothy Conlan, professor in George Mason University's Public Administration Program and Martha Derthick, professor emeritus, at University of Virginia present at the event.
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June 21, 2007—The session, Defense and Federalism: Partnerships or Preemption? focused on the emerging relationships between the nation's defense establishment and state and local governments. We have assembled a panel consisting of experts in the field of national defense who routinely deal with intergovernmental concerns including Christopher Lamb, National Defense University and leader of the Project's structural task group which covers intergovernmental issues; Bernd McConnell, NORTHCOM HQs, Defense Department; and Nolan Jones, senior lobbyist, National Governors Association. We also discussed the Panel’s contribution to the Project on National Security Reform - a high level group formed to rethink the vision, organization and management of the national and homeland security system to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
March 15, 2007—The session, entitled The Public Administration of Earmarks, focused on the implications of earmarks for public budgeting and intergovernmental management. The Academy was honored to have two speakers at the meeting: Scott Lilly, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; and Phyllis Scheinberg, Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs/CFO, U.S. Department of Transportation.
November 15, 2006—The session, Medicaid: the 800 Pound Gorilla in the Room, focused on how Medicaid is meeting the challenge and affecting state and local costs. The discussion centered around trends in state policy initiatives, options for federal policy responses, and the potential for the future. We were honored to have three speakers at the meeting: Ray Scheppach, Executive Director of the National Governors Association; Frank Thompson, Professor of Public Administration, SUNY/Albany; and Andy Schneider from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.
September 15, 2005—At the session Performance In Education, speakers from the Administration, from the National Governors Association and from the Association of Local School Principals discussed new developments in the way that performance management approaches are working. The U.S. Department of Education is expanding its efforts to make more data and information available through their websites. Governors support performance management approaches and have recently called for a look at expanding such approaches to secondary education. Local principals and educators want more focus placed on translating the lessons learned from these management systems into practical tools for the classroom and schools.
Read the past meetings .
Membership in the Academy's standing panels is open to all Academy Fellows.'Fellows who wish to become members of this panel—or have their names removed from its distribution list—should contact the Academy liaison, Torrey Androski , at (202) 204-3644.
From time to time, the panels invite non-Fellows to join as associate members. These individuals are invited to provide specific expertise to the panel. Those who feel that their background allows them to make a unique and significant contribution to the work of this panel should contact the Academy liaison, Torrey Androski, at (202) 204-3644.
* denotes bio included
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