03
December 2010
Past Event
The 112th Congress and The New Promise of American Life: Less from Washington, More of Ourselves

The 112th Congress and The New Promise of American Life: Less from Washington, More of Ourselves

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
December 03, 2010
Default Event Image
03
December 2010
Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Speakers:
Kenneth R. Weinstein

Hudson Institute President & CEO

Lamar Alexander

United States Senator (R-TN)

Kate O'Beirne

President of the National Review Institute

Christopher DeMuth

D.C. Searle Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Chester Finn, Jr.

Senior Fellow, The Hoover Institution

William Kristol

Editor, the Weekly Standard

William Schambra

Hudson Senior Fellow and Director, Bradley Center for Philanthropy & Civic Renewal

In 1995, Lamar Alexander, then a former Governor and cabinet secretary preparing a run for the presidency, and Chester Finn, then a Hudson Institute Senior Fellow, published The New Promise of American Life (Hudson Institute Press). The critically acclaimed volume examined how the expansion of the federal government—which began during the Progressive Era and continued through World War II and Vietnam—might be reversed through a devolution of power to states, localities, and civil society; and through a renewed culture of voluntarism and entrepreneurship.

Fifteen years later, as the 112th Congress prepares to take office, Hudson Institute hosted a conference to re-examine the themes of The New Promise of American Life, to examine why this vision got derailed post-1995, and how it is even more urgent post-2010. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), now the Chair of the Senate Republican Conference, keynoted the event and offer his candid reflections on "Less from Washington, More of Ourselves."

Related Events
11
November 2026
Virtual Event | Hudson Institute
A US Navy Fleet for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence and Combat
Featured Speaker:
Bryan Clark
Skipper
11
November 2026
Virtual Event | Hudson Institute
A US Navy Fleet for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence and Combat

Join Senior Fellow Bryan Clark for a presentation of his new report, Righting the Ship: Building a Relevant US Navy Fleet for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence and Combat. He will discuss the challenges facing the US Navy and how a new fleet design could help it address its missions within likely future budget and personnel constraints. The webinar will also include time for questions and answers.

Skipper
Featured Speaker:
Bryan Clark
12
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
From Dependence to Resilience: Financing a Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Featured Speakers:
Caroline Vik
Maryll Toufanian
Nick Snyder
Pharma
12
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
From Dependence to Resilience: Financing a Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain

Join DFC Chief Policy Officer Caroline Vik and Amneal Pharmaceuticals Senior Vice President Maryll Toufanian for a conversation moderated by Senior Fellow Nick Snyder. The discussion will examine America’s strategy to secure pharmaceutical supply chains and the work ahead for policymakers and industry as they pursue sustainable solutions in a complex market and policy environment. 

Pharma
Featured Speakers:
Caroline Vik
Maryll Toufanian
Nick Snyder
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The Future of US-Japan Cooperation in a Competitive World: Economic Security and Strategy
Featured Speakers:
Nick Snyder
Hiroyuki Nakashima
Takaichi
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The Future of US-Japan Cooperation in a Competitive World: Economic Security and Strategy

Join Japan Bank for International Cooperation Senior Managing Director Hiroyuki Nakashima and Senior Fellow Nick Snyder for a conversation on the state of the US-Japan relationship, the links between economic cooperation and national security, and the opportunities and challenges ahead for the alliance.

Takaichi
Featured Speakers:
Nick Snyder
Hiroyuki Nakashima
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Putting Veterans First: A Conversation with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins
Featured Speakers:
Doug Collins
Jeremy Hunt
Collins
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Putting Veterans First: A Conversation with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins

Two days after Veterans Day, United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Douglas Collins will deliver a keynote address on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ work and his plans under President Donald Trump. He will also join Hudson Institute fellow Jeremy Hunt for a fireside chat.

Collins
Featured Speakers:
Doug Collins
Jeremy Hunt