The Odyssey Presents: Linda Melconian "Lay it On the Table: A Change in Action"

Join us in person on Tuesday, April 19 at 7 PM as Linda Melconian will discuss her book about her time as Tip O'Neill's legislative assistant, Lay it on the Table: A Change Agent in Action. This event is co-sponsored by The Weissman Center for Leadership at Mount Holyoke College.

This is an historical, nonfiction, popular telling of Tip O'Neill's attempt to accomplish a milestone in the House legislative process, reflecting a moment in time in our national history. The majority of the book chronicles the story of Tip O'Neill's initiative and decisive leadership--at great risk to his advancement in the House Leadership—to give the House a unique opportunity to have its voice heard on ending U.S. military involvement in Vietnam's unwinnable and unpopular civil war. It examines House majority party caucus, committee, and Floor action as the House wrestled with the question that still echoes decades later: If Congress has the constitutional power to declare war, can't it also declare to end war?

The first woman Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate, Linda managed and led the state Senate on public policy issues. Prior to serving in the Massachusetts Senate, Linda was Assistant Counsel to the late U. S. House of Representative Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. Currently, Linda teaches public policy, nonprofit and business law courses at Suffolk University.
A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Linda earned a Master's Degree (M.A.) from the School of Public and International Affairs at George Washington University, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) from George Mason University.

Office of Student Involvement | Website | View More Events