National Urban League's Morial to Address U.S. Conference of Mayors on Jobs, Guns and Sensible Budget Policy

NEW YORK (January 16, 2013) -- National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial will address the U.S. Conference of Mayors at a special forum during the group's Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Jan. 19.

"I stand with the Conference as it convenes to urge Congressional leaders and Administration officials to push for a balanced approach to deficit reduction and sequestration cuts," Morial said. "Just as we at the National Urban League have done, the Conference has declared the unemployment crisis a top priority for federal action.”

The National Urban League earlier this month announced, Jobs Rebuild America, a historic initiative that includes a series of public and private investments totaling more than $70 million over the next five years. Existing programs will be augmented and new programs created, reaching thousands of job-seekers, youth and entrepreneurs, and putting urban America back to work. The second component of the initiative is an aggressive grassroots advocacy campaign focused on federal legislative action to create permanent pathways to employment for at-risk teenagers and young adults.

Morial, the former Mayor of New Orleans, served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2001 and 2002.  Joining him for the special lunchtime forum, " Making Cities Stronger Through More Efficient Benefits," are Lisa Jackson, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, and Stephen K. Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, S.C.

More than 270 mayors are expected to attend the meeting, which also will address gun control and school safety, Hurricane Sandy response, immigration, and the threat to tax exempt municipal bonds.