Former Governor Jeb Bush, Author Robert Putnam to Discuss Immigration Issues Before Local Elected Officials

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Nov 08, 2010, 10:45 ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Harvard University political scientist and best-selling author Robert D. Putnam will discuss their perspective on the steps governments and communities could take to form more successful relationships between immigrants and their new communities. The remarks will come on Saturday, December 4 during the National League of Cities' (NLC) 2010 Congress of Cities and Exposition in Denver, Colo.

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For more information on the conference, or for a preliminary schedule, visit http://www.nlc.org/pressroom/coc2010denverpresspage.aspx.

In their "Washington Post" op-ed on July 3, Bush and Putnam suggested that governments and communities provide low-cost English classes, invest in public education including civics and higher education and assist communities experiencing rapid increases in immigration.

Bush served as the 43rd governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007 and was Florida's secretary of commerce under Governor Bob Martinez. He is currently head of Jeb Bush and Associates and is chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education.

Putnam is the Malkin Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University and Visiting Professor and Director of the Graduate Programme in Social Change at the University of Manchester in Manchester, England. He is the author of numerous books including "American Grace," "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community" and "Better Together: Restoring the American Community."

Municipal officials attending the Congress of Cities will participate in workshops, mobile workshops, general sessions and leadership training seminars to learn about the latest in innovative programs in areas most concerning municipalities today, including economic development, infrastructure, civic engagement, sustainability and public safety. The organization will also elect its 2011 NLC Board of Directors and will set its policies and priorities for 2011.

The National League of Cities is the nation's oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

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SOURCE National League of Cities