John LaFalce to Speak at RIT on Globalization and Washington, D.C

Retired congressman to reflect on the Washington consensus

John LaFalce will visit Rochester Institute of Technology on Thursday, Feb. 6, as part of the Caroline Werner Gannett Lecture series. LaFalce, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 28 years, will present Globalization Up or Globalization Down?: Reflections on the Washington Consensus at 8 p.m. in the Webb Auditorium of the James E. Booth Building on RIT’s Henrietta campus. Regional politicians and dignitaries will attend a reception held in honor of his retirement at 7 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

LaFalce represented Western New York from 1975 to 2002. He was the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee and the leading advocate of pro-consumer legislation. He also was chairman of the Small Business subcommittee and active in foreign-policy issues.

"In 1993, LaFalce held hearings on human rights and globalization in Latin America," says Robert Manning, RIT Gannett Professor and director of the Gannett Lecture series. "His distinguished leadership on international financial, trade and development issues was instrumental in improving oversight of the International Monetary Fund in the mid 1990s and securing debt relief for many impoverished countries in 1999."