AMERICA AND ISRAEL

Barney Frank has been a staunch advocate of an American policy that fully supports Israel's right to remain a free, secure, Jewish democratic state. He has also made the point that criticism of the particular policies of the government in Israel at any one time is in no way inconsistent with that, and he has in fact been among the leaders of liberals who have articulated this position -- of full support for Israel's right to exist, with an independent perspective on Israeli policies. He has been a critic of the settlement policy, and a strong supporter of the Israeli domestic policies on the rights of women, religious freedom, the rights of LGBT people and other policies that sharply differentiate Israel from all of its neighbors.

TACKLING THE DEFICIT

Barney Frank has consistently been one of the strongest voices in Congress for reducing America's excessive military spending to allow deficit reduction to proceed in a socially responsible way. In the past two years, in the arguments he has been making about the wisdom of a reduced worldwide American military presence, he has been one of the leaders in this debate. He will be continuing these efforts as a private citizen.

THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

As the nation's first Congressman to voluntarily come out as openly gay and the first to be in a same sex marriage while in office, Barney Frank has been at the forefront of the gay rights movement. Frank has been a central figure in every gay rights battle that has taken place in the history of the U.S. Congress, and was instrumental in several important victories, including the abolition of the anti-gay provision of U.S. Immigration Law; the abolition of the rule that denied LGBT people security clearance; the enactment of a fully-inclusive hate crimes bill for LGBT people; and the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Either by himself or with his husband, James Ready, Frank illuminates the arc of the gay rights movement and shares what's ahead for LGBT issues.

FINANCIAL REFORM

As chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Frank was instrumental in crafting some of the most sweeping financial reform laws in history, including the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the regulatory overhaul signed into law in July 2010.

With his trademark skill at getting quickly to the heart of complex issues, Frank offers unique insight into the financial crisis, the current path we're on, and what we can expect going forward.

GRIDLOCK IN WASHINGTON: HOW IT CAME ABOUT AND HOW IT CAN BE ENDED

After sixteen terms in Congress, few people know the inner workings of Washington better than Barney Frank. Though known as an ardent Democrat, Frank often reached across the aisle, helping to pass bipartisan legislation. In a survey of Members of Congress, Frank had the unique distinction of being voted one of the most partisan and one of the most bipartisan members.

Hank Paulson, Jr. Secretary of the Treasury under the Bush Administration said, "When we're faced with a tough situation and a real need for immediate action, Barney approaches the discussion in a pragmatic way and doesn't let perfect be the enemy of the good. He is looking to get things done and make a difference. He focuses on areas of agreement and tries to build on those."

In this talk, Frank offers a truly inside perspective of how Washington works and how it can work better in the public interest and what Congress can do to truly get things done.