This week in DC.

Monday, February 25

Defense Secretary Robert Gates' Schedule
On foreign travel to Australia and Asia, February 20-29
Locations Not Listed.

Georgetown University
Discussion on "Why Religious Freedom? The Origins and Promise of U.S. International Religious Freedom Policy," as a part of a series on "Religious Freedom and U.S. Foreign Policy: Taking Stock, Looking Forward." Highlights:

8:30 a.m.: Nina Shea, veteran religious freedom expert at the Center for Religious Freedom; Laura Bryant Hanford, principal author of the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act; Allen Hertzke, author of "Freeing God's Children: The Unlikely Alliance for Global Human Rights"; and Michael Cromartie, vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, participate in a panel discussion on "The Sources of U.S. International Religious Freedom Policy"
Noon: Liu Peng of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Viktor Yelensky of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences; and Lauren Homer of the International Law Group, participate in a panel discussion on "International Perspectives: China, Russia, and Central Europe" [Note: RSVP requested.]
Location: Georgetown University, 37th and O Sts., NW, Copley Formal Lounge, Washington, D.C.. 8:30 a.m.

The Hudson Institute
Discussion on "Russia's Presidential Transition: Will We See a Medvedev Thaw?" [Note: RSVP to Richard Weitz at Weitz@hudson.org with your name and affiliation.]
Participants: Daniel Kimmage, senior analyst at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Andrei Piontkovsky, visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute; and Richard Weitz, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute
Location: Hudson Institute, 1015 15th St., NW, Sixth Floor, Betsy and Walter Stern Conference Room, Washington, D.C.. 10 a.m.

The Woodrow Wilson Center (WWC)
Discussion on "Up in Smoke? The Politics and Health Consequences of Tobacco in Today's Russia," with Judyth Twigg, associate professor of government and public affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Location: WWC, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.. 12 noon

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
Briefing on "Global Challenges and Opportunities in U.S. Foreign Policy." [Note: This event is open to media only. RSVP required by noon to DCpressRSVP@cfr.org or call Aerica Kennedy at 202-518-3448.]
Participants: Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns; and Doyle McManus, Washington bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times
Location: CFR, 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.. 6 p.m.

Tuesday, February 26

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
Discussion on "Kosovo: What Next?" [Note: RSVP required.]
Participants: Frank Wisner, special representative of the secretary of state to the Kosovo status talks; Dimitri Simes, president of the Nixon Center; and Daniel Serwer of USIP
Location: USIP, 1200 17th St., NW, 2nd Floor Conference Room, Washington, D.C.. 9 a.m.

The Brookings Institution
Discussion on "Weak and Failed States: What They Are, What They Matter and What to Do About Them." [Note: Register online: http://www.brookings.edu]
Participants: Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash.; Lael Brainard, vice president and director of global economy and development at the Brookings Institution; Carlos Pascual, vice president and director of foreign policy at the Brookings Institution; Stewart Patrick, research fellow at the Center for Global Development; and Susan Rice, senior fellow of foreign policy, global economy and development at the Brookings Institution
Location: Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.. 9:30 a.m.

House Appropriations Committee
Millennium Challenge Account
State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee hearing on the Millennium Challenge Account.
Witnesses: Millennium Challenge Corporation Director John Danilovich testifies
Location: 2362-A Rayburn House Office Building. 10 a.m.

The Heritage Foundation
Discussion on "The Value of Transatlantic Partnership in the 21st Century." [Note: RSVP to 202-675-1752.]
Participants: Mirek Topolanek, prime minister of the Czech Republic; and Michael Franc, vice president of government relations at the Heritage Foundation
Location: Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Lehrman Auditorium, Washington, D.C.. 11 a.m.

The Woodrow Wilson Center (WWC)
Discussion on "The Ghost of Freedom: Writing a History of the Caucasus," with Charles King, Ion Ratiu professor of Romanian studies, government, international affairs, and faculty chair at the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Location: WWC, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.. 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 27

Senate Armed Services Committee
World Wide National Security Treats
Full committee hearing on current and future worldwide threats to the national security of the United States.
Witnesses: National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell; and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Michael Maples
Location: 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building. 9:30 a.m.

House Foreign Affairs Committee
Pending Business
Full committee markup of the "Global HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008"; legislation authorizing assistance for the export of independent documentaries regarding the United States; H.Res.185, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the creation of refugee populations in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf region as a result of human rights violations; H.Res.854, expressing gratitude to all of the member states of the International Commission of the International Tracing Service (ITS) on ratifying the May 2006 Agreement to amend the 1955 Bonn Accords granting open access to vast Holocaust and other World War II related archives located in Bad Arolsen, Germany; H.Res.865, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the March 2007 report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development makes an important contribution to the understanding of the high levels of crime and violence in the Caribbean, and that the United States should work with Caribbean countries to address crime and violence in the region; H.Con.Res.154, expressing the sense of Congress that the fatal radiation poisoning of Russian dissident and writer Alexander Litvinenko raises significant concerns about the potential involvement of elements of the Russian Government in Mr. Litvinenko's death and about the security and proliferation of radioactive materials; H.Con.Res.255, expressing the sense of Congress regarding the United States commitment to preservation of religious and cultural sites and condemning instances where sites are desecrated; and H.Con.Res.278, supporting Taiwan's fourth direct and democratic presidential elections in March 2008.
Location: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building. 9:30 a.m.

House Appropriations Committee
USAID Budget
State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee hearing on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) budget.
Witnesses: Henrietta Fore, USAID administrator, and director of U.S. foreign assistance
Location: 2358-A Rayburn House Office Building. 10 a.m.

The Heritage Foundation
Discussion on "Russian Presidential Transition: From Putin.. to Putin." [Note: RSVP to 202-675-1752.]
Participants: Helle Dale, deputy director of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies at the Heritage Foundation; Ariel Cohen, senior research fellow of Russian and Eurasian studies and international energy security at the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation; Ian Kelly, director of the Office of Russian Affairs at the State Department; Andrei Illarionov, senior fellow at the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity at the Cato Institute; Anders Aslund, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute; Donald Jensen, director of research and analysis at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Blair Ruble, director of the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center; Sarah Mendelson, director of the Human Rights and Security Initiative and senior fellow of Russia and Eurasia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); and Simon Serfaty, chairman in global security and geostrategy and senior advisor of the Europe Program at CSIS
Location: Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Lehrman Auditorium, Washington, D.C.. 10 a.m.

The Woodrow Wilson Center (WWC)
Discussion on "The New Political Dynamics of Southeastern Europe," with Gordon Bardos, assistant director of the Harriman Institute at Columbia University.
Location: WWC, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.. 12 noon

House Foreign Affairs Committee
Afghanistan Taliban Resurgence
Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee hearing on "Strategic Chaos and Taliban Resurgence in Afghanistan."
Witnesses: Retired Army Lt. Gen. David Barno, director of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University; and Seth Jones, political scientist at the RAND Corporation
Location: 2200 Rayburn House Office Building. 2 p.m.

Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy
Discussion on its new working group report, "America's Role in the World: Foreign Policy Choices for the Next President." The report identifies foreign policy issues facing the presidential candidates and their staffs, as well as the country at large. [Note: RSVP to Andrea Fereshteh at, 202-687-4328 or aes54@georgetown.edu; Media credentials required.]
Participants: Former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering; former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Chester Crocker; Institute for the Study of Diplomacy Director Casimir Yost; former Deputy Administrator of the Agency for International Development Harriet Babbitt; and former United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Alvero De Soto
Location: Georgetown University, 37th and O Sts., NW, Bunn Intercultural Center Auditorium, Washington, D.C.. 6 p.m.

Thursday, February 28

No Eurasia-related events.

Friday, February 29

The Johns Hopkins University Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
Discussion on "A Preview of the Bucharest NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit: Afghanistan, Enlargement and the Future of the Alliance." [Note: RSVP to 202-663-5880 or transatlanticrsvp@jhu.edu]
Participants: Kurt Volker, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs; and Michael Haltzel, senior fellow at SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations
Location: SAIS, Bernstein-Offit Building, 1717 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Room 500, Washington, D.C.. 10:30 a.m.

The Woodrow Wilson Center's (WWC) Kennan Institute
Discussion on "Russian-Iranian Relations in the Ahmadinejad Era," with Mark Katz, professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University and former short term scholar at the Kennan Institute. [Note: RSVP online: http://www.wilsoncenter.org]
Location: WWC, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.. 12 noon

Busboys and Poets
Book discussion on "Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right of Water," with author Maude Barlow. The book discusses the politics surrounding the world's water supply.
Location: Busboys and Poets, 1390 V St., NW, Washington, D.C.. 6:30 p.m.