2018 Annual Dinner: Celebrating our Commitment to Fiscal Responsibility

On Thursday, September 13, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget hosted its 2018 Annual Dinner at the Liaison Hotel on Capitol Hill. We had a record turnout and an opportunity to pause, relax, and celebrate everyone in the budget community who has fought the good fiscal fight during the past year. Guests included members of Congress, high ranking Hill staff, corporate leaders, and top thinkers in the budget community.

The evening began with a reception where former Indiana Governor and Committee co-chair Mitch Daniels discussed the importance of working together on the debt issue. We then moved on to dinner and had the opportunity to hear from former Representative and Committee co-chair Tim Penny who presented a lifetime achievement award for fiscal responsibility to Carol Cox Wait, followed by a moving talk about leadership by former Secretary of Defense and Committee co-chair Leon Panetta. The evening was capped off with a lively discussion looking into our fiscal future, led by Committee president Maya MacGuineas with dean of the Harvard Kennedy School Doug Elmendorf, chief White House correspondent for CBS News Major Garrett, and Ipsos president Cliff Young. 

As deficits steam toward a grim 13-digit milestone, there are a trillion reasons to stay involved during the coming year. 

We hope to see you at one of our future events.

Here are a few pictures and highlights from our great evening:

Committee co-chair Mitch Daniels emphasizes perseverance in the face of an impending debt crisis.

Committee president Maya MacGuineas chats with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Major Garrett of CBS News, and Committee co-chair Tim Penny at the Committee’s 2018 Annual Dinner.

Committee co-chair Leon Panetta shares lessons in leadership and urges the rejection of governing by crisis.