On the eve of the presidential inauguration, more than 250 of the nation's mayors, led by Conference President and Akron, OH Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, plus business leaders and top federal officials will convene in Washington, D.C. for the 73rd Winter Meeting of The U.S. Conference of Mayors, Jan. 17-19, at the Capital Hilton Hotel.

During the meeting, the mayors will discuss significant issues that must be addressed by Congress and the 2nd Bush Administration including proposed budget cuts and major tax changes that could affect cities and metro economies.

Other key issues include homeland security and the National Response Plan, reauthorization of the transportation bill (TEA- 21), telecommunications act reauthorization, affordable housing and community development block grants (CDBG), drug control, and Tsunami relief efforts.

Highlights for Tuesday include:

All events will be at the Capital Hilton Hotel, at 16th & K Streets, unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, January 18:

8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Community Development and Housing Committee Meeting

Mayors will discuss proposed budget cuts including CDBG and possible transfer of community development programs to other agencies.

-- Columbus, OH Mayor Michael Coleman, chair

-- Former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, American City Visa

-- Tom Jones, Habitat for Humanity Asian Tsumani Disaster Relief Effort

-- Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Developing a Strategy to Preserve CDBG

8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Workship: The American Dream: Is It Working For Families?

-- Address by: Jason DeParle, Senior Writer, The New York Times & Author

9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Opening Plenary Session:

-- Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick -- Investment in Metro Economies: Tax Reform and Budget Priorities

-- Chicago Mayor Richard Daley -- Economic Investment

-- Dearborn Mayor Michael Guido -- Local Government Interest in Telecommunications

-- Tom Tauke, Exec. V.P., Verizon -- Telecommunications

11 a.m. OPENING PRESS CONFERENCE (Statler Room, 2nd Floor)

11 a.m. to 12 noon. Criminal and Social Justice Committee Meeting:

-- John P. Walters, "Drug Czar," The White House

-- Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz -- Human Trafficking

-- Tim Quinn, chief of staff, Office of COPS, U.S. Department of Justice

12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Arts Luncheon Honoring Leaders in the Arts:

-- Legendary Artist Award: Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary)

-- Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award: Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley

-- State Leadership in the Arts Award: Arkansas Governor Michael Huckabee

-- Local Leadership in the Arts Award: Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Homeland Security and Cities & Borders Joint Task Force Meeting:

The Homeland Security and Cities and Borders Task Force will meet in a joint session to discuss the National Response Plan, the US-VISIT security program and first responder issues.

-- Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, Co-chair Homeland Security Task Force

-- Sugarland, TX Mayor David Wallace, Co-chair Homeland Security Task Force

-- Laredo, TX Mayor Elizabeth Flores, Co-chair Cities and Borders Task Force

-- Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Co-chair Cities and Borders Task Force

-- David Hagy, Department of Homeland Security -- DHS National Response Plan

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,139 such cities in the country today, each represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the Mayor. KW