The military’s "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy has been a miserable failure, accomplishing the opposite of what its champions promised. Mountains of evidence demonstrate this damage, but seldom has actual research figured in the feverish debate on this issue.

Drawing on hundreds of exclusive interviews, Unfriendly Fire presents the rich, varied, and dramatic stories of America's gay troops, including those on the frontlines of the wars in the Middle East. Poised to become the definitive story of "don’t ask, don’t tell," Unfriendly Fire is a fair, lively, and compelling narrative. Rep. Tauscher will join this discussion to offer her perspective on the new political environment surrounding this policy and upcoming opportunities for change in the 111th Congress.

A federal investment in fast-track programs can provide schools serving low-income students with resources and incentives to establish and support dual enrollment programs and early college high schools. Such an investment would help more students obtain a postsecondary credential by exposing them to the rigors of college-level work, motivating them to continue their postsecondary education, and saving them money in the process.

Please join the Center for American Progress Action Fund and Jobs for the Future in welcoming Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) and Senator Herbert Kohl (D-WI) as they discuss their Fast Track to College Act of 2009. We will also hear from experts and practitioners about their experiences with dual enrollment and early college programs and discuss their potential for increasing college access and completion.

As 14,000 Americans lose health coverage each day and health care premiums continue to grow more than three times faster than wages, President Obama has included health reform in his first federal budget. But Congress will have a major role in shaping the reform proposal and ensuring its success.

Please join the Center for American Progress Action Fund in welcoming Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), who will outline his priorities for health care reform . Following Chairman Baucus, political commentators Paul Begala and Norm Ornstein will share their perspectives on the prospects for realizing this major policy goal.