“A little better marketing” of the conference might attract a new group of legislative participants, suggests Senator Bennett. There is “no question” in his mind that the program could benefit “from a different crowd….” We see too many of the same faces, he says, contrasting this case to the “great job” done in rotating scholars. “We don’t see the same scholars over and over again.”

That issue also concerns Dick Clark. Although 310 members of Congress, 182 international parliamentarians and more than 700 experts and scholars have been involved in the program thus far, he’s always on the lookout for “new blood.” Clark hopes to land younger, influential members of Congress in the near future. So far, one young senator in particular has eluded him. Clark has actively tried, but thus far has been unable to convince Barack Obama to participate in a Congressional Program conference. On the Republican side, he’s unsuccessfully tried to woo potential presidential aspirant Senator Chuck Hagel.

Still, there is little doubt that members of Congress, including some of the most powerful, view the Congressional Program conferences as critical to America’s legislative process. Indeed, Obey cites the program’s influence in a new book. “I devoted the better part of a chapter to the role that the Aspen Institute conferences played in my life on Capitol Hill,” he says.

The Aspen Institute Congressional Program has been such a political force that there is particular concern about continuing them in the future. Former Senator Dick Clark, the driving force behind the program, is in his upper 70’s and contemplating retirement sometime down the road. The program has been wrapped up in his personality, congressional connections and moderating skill for 20-plus years. He has virtually patented the conference operating formula.

Could the program survive the loss of Clark? While a search committee for his successor has been formed, for now Clark says he hasn’t even thought of missing a single conference. He notes that his staff was entirely trained by him and, with tenure of between 10 and 20 years, is highly experienced at putting together conferences. That being said, Dick Clark is “really the glue that holds it all together,” according to Representative Waxman. “He’s respected by everybody. He does a superb job in preparing the conferences, in handling the discussions. He’s going to be very hard to replace.”

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