From: Joe Rassenfoss <joe@westgov.org> To: "Getto, Leila" <leila_getto@ios.doi.gov>
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] WGA Event in Medora, ND Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2020 23:08:17 +0000
Attachments: WGA_Meeting_Form_for_DOI_on_August_10_2020.docx; WGA_Leadership_Forum_Draft_Agenda.pdf
Hi Leila: Attached find the Speaker's Form and a draft agenda, which may not be shared outside your office, for the WGA event planned for Aug. 10 in Medora, North Dakota.
Let me know your questions.
Joe Rassenfoss Communications Director, Western Governors' Association 303-803-8008
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U.S. De artment of the Interior -- Office of the Secretary
Event Information Request Form
To ensure that the appropriate individual within the Department of the Interior is participating at your event and because the Office of the Secretary is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards, we need the information requested below before we can agree to confirm a speaker'.
Please respond to the questions below and send your response to schedulin2a,ios.doi.Eov. If you have any questions you may contact the Scheduling Office at 202-208-7551.
Title of the Event (please note if the event is a weekly, monthly, annual, etc.):
Western Governors' Leadership Forum: Emergency Preparedness and Response
Date of Event (please note if the date is flexible):
August 10, 2020 (not flexible)
Event Location (venue, address, city and state): Medora Community Center, 465 Pacific Ave, Medora, ND 58645
Point(s) of Contact (Name, Email, Phone):
Joe Rassenfoss, WGA Communications Director, joe@westgov.ora and 303-803-8008
Briefly describe the event in detail including the purpose and desired role of the Secretary:
A group of Western Governors, ranging from 3 to 6 total, are meeting to publicly discuss emergency preparedness and response. They would like to hear the Secretary speak about that topic, in relation to DOI work, and also engage in an onstage conversation with the Governors.
Please describe any specific request of the Secretary at the event (i.e. deliver keynote remarks, attend an event, meet with attendees etc.): Is the event a fundraiser? If yes, please explain who it is benefiting (i.e. specific charity, a political candidate, etc.): Event Host and Sponsor Who is the event host? (Please identify and provide background on the Event host as well as any other organization involved in the Event.)
WGA would like him to speak onstage, and then have a conversation with the Governors.
No
The Western Governors' Association is the host. WGA was established in 1984 to represent the Governors of 19 Western states and 3 U.S. territories in the Pacific. The association is an instrument of the Governors for bipartisan policy development, information exchange and collective action on issues of critical importance to the Western United States.
'Per the Administration Ethics Pledge, the Secretary agreed that he will not for a period of two years from the date of his appointment participate in any particular matter involving specific parties in which a former employer or client of his is or icinesents a party, if he served that former employer or client during the two years prior to his appointment, absent a waiver under Section 3 of Executive Order No. 13770. This includes recusal from any meeting or other communication with such a former employer or client unless (1) there are five or more different stakeholders present and (2) no particular matters involving specific parties are discussed.
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Is the event host a registered lobbyist or
No
lobbying organization, and/or registered under
the Foreign Agents Registration Act? (If yes,
please identify.)
Is the event host a partisan political candidate, a representative of a political party or a registered political action committee (PAC)? (If yes, please identify.) Is the event host a 501(c)(3) organization or a media organization? (If yes, please identify.)
No WGA is a non-profit instrumentality of the states.
Is the event host seeking or currently have any No business interests with the Department such as permits, contracts, litigation, grants, etc.? (If yes, please describe.)
Who are the sponsors of the event? Please identify and provide background information on the individual and/or entity.
WGA is the event sponsor
Are any event sponsors seeking or do they currently have any business interests with the Department such as permits, contracts, litigation, grants, etc.? (If yes, please describe.)
See "event host" answer above.
With which Bureau or Agency does your agenda most align? Please list all, if more than one.
Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Audience Approximately how many people are expected to attend the event?
Around 100.
Please describe the target audience of the event (elected officials, local community leaders, academics, industry representatives, public sector representatives, etc.).
Governors, media, federal agency officials, WGA Sponsor community.
Will the attendees at the event include persons with a diversity of views or interests, or representatives from throughout an industry or profession, or the range of persons interested in a matter? (If yes, please describe.)
Yes. The meeting will be attended by members of the WGA Sponsor community, whose businesses include health care, resource management, energy, banking, and education, among other topics.
Is the event open to the public? If not, please describe who is invited.
This is an invitation-only event to ensure health safety, but it may be livestreamed for the public.
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Who are other VIPs or speakers confirmed and in what role?
Brad Smith, President of Microsoft; Rich Karlgaard, Publisher of Forbes. Governors Doug Burgum (ND), Kristi Noem (SD) and Brad Little (ID) have committed to attend.
Who are other VIPs or speakers invited?
None
Remarks If you are requesting remarks, are there any specific issues you would like the Secretary to highlight/address in his remarks?
As noted, the Governors are meeting to publicly discuss emergency preparedness and response. They would like to hear the Secretary speak about that topic in relation to DOI work.
What is the desired format of his remarks (will he be delivering the keynote, sharing the stage, participating in a panel or roundtable, etc.)?
The Secretary is encouraged to deliver a keynote onstage with the Governors, then have a conversation with them.
What is the public registration/ticket fee to attend/participate in the event?
There is no public registration or ticket price.
Communications Is the event open or closed to press?
Open to press.
If open, are you expecting local, trade, state, or national news coverage?
No idea on exact numbers/outlets. But we expect local ND media outlets to attend. Others may cover it via a livestream, if we do that.
If this is an annual event, which news outlets typically cover the event?
Not an annual event.
Will you be advertising or live streaming the event on any social media outlets? (If yes, please explain.)
We are working on it and I believe we will livestream.
Logistics/Other* What does the invitation include: registration/conference event fee; meals or refreshments; receptions or other entertainment; informational materials; memento or token of appreciation; and/or travel (ground or air transportation, hotel, etc.).
Speakers do not pay for registration. There will be a social event at the end of the day, but the Secretary is not required to attend.
Does all or part of the invitation to the Secretary extend to other Department staff such as security, advance, and/or those staff essential to the Secretary's participation in the event? (If yes, please identify.)
Yes, advance staff and security are welcome to accompany the Secretary to public meeting sessions.
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Does the invitation extend to the Secretary's spouse or other guest? If yes, will others in attendance generally be accompanied by a spouse or other guest?
What is the monetary value of the invitation to the Secretary, etc.? Please identify how the costs were determined. (Please attach separate sheet if necessary.)
Please supply any other pertinent background information for the event (history of the event, prior attendance by DOI officials, draft agendas, event website, promotional/ advertising materials, outreach plan, etc.): If the Secretary is not able to attend, is a surrogate desired? If yes, anyone specific?
Any additional notes or information?
The Secretary may bring a guest. I don't know that any of the Governors or speakers will have spouses with them.
There is no monetary value to a speaking invitation.
The Secretary participated in the 2019 WGA Annual Meeting in Vail, Colorado, and is familiar with the policy work of WGA.
No.
No.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: The purpose of these questions is to elicit information relevant to the ethics analysis and is not a solicitation or request for anything of value by the Department or any of its employees.
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Western Governors' Leadership Forum Emergency Preparedness and Response
August 9-11, 2020 Medora, North Dakota
DRAFT AGENDA
(subject to change)
NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Medora is on Mountain Daylight Time (MT). Business casual attire is suggested for meeting sessions; western casual attire for evening events.
Meeting sessions will be held at the Medora Community Center
Monday, August 10
7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Medora Community Center
Registration Open
7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Rough Riders Hotel Conference Room
Governors' Private Breakfast *0ne staff per Governor
9:00 - 9:15 a.m. Medora Community Center
Welcome and Opening Remarks Jim Ogsbury, WGA Executive Director Doug Burgum, Governor of North Dakota
9:15 - 10:00 a.m.
Keynote & Conversation: Managing in Times of Crisis The Honorable David Bernhardt, Secretary of the Interior (invited)
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Roundtable: COVID-19 Update The C0VID19 pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on the lives of every American. Panelists will provide an update on the pandemic, its outlook in coming months, and implications for American society. Moderator: TBD Panelists: TBD
11:00 - 11:15 a.m.
Break
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Keynote: Economic Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic Rich Karlgaard, Publisher, Forbes Magazine
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Schaefer Center Patio
Governors' Private Lunch *0ne staff per Governor
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1:15 - 2:00 p.m. Medora Community Center
Keynote & Conversation: Technology in Emergency Management Brad Smith, President and CEO, Microsoft
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Roundtable: Fostering State-Federal Coordination The nation's COVID-19 response has drawn attention to how states interact with each other, and how states and the federal government coordinate emergency response. The panel will discuss strengths and weaknesses in state-state and state-federal coordination mechanisms and ways to improve coordination efforts in future emergency scenarios. Moderator: TBD Panelists: TBD
3:00 - 3:15 p.m.
Break
3:15 - 4:00 p.m.
Roundtable: COVID-19 Effects on Disaster Response COVID-19 has increased the difficulty in planning for and responding to other emergency scenarios, including wildfires, flooding, drought, and earthquakes. The panel will discuss how COVID-19 has affected these efforts and implications for emergency management. Moderator: TBD Panelists: TBD
4:00 - 4:45 p.m.
Roundtable: Governors' Conversation: Integrating Lessons Learned into Emergency Management Moderator: Doug Burgum, Governor of North Dakota Panelists: Participating Governors
4:45 - 5:00 p.m.
Closing Thoughts and Adjourn Doug Burgum, Governor of North Dakota
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Tuesday, August 11
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Town Square Showhall
Breakfast: Reimagining the Rural West Moderator: Doug Burgum, Governor of North Dakota Governors, spouses and all attendees
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