When the president's massive 2007 federal budget plops on your desk what do you do? How to do you interpret it? How do you make it relevant? What the heck does this thing mean, anyway? These aren't theoretical questions for Washington-based journalists.

The National Press Foundation, the Center on Congress at Indiana University, and the Regional Reporters Association will conduct a free half-day seminar on Jan. 23 to help journalists cope with this annual challenge. Prominent Washington veterans will help journalists gain tools and insights to sort out the documents and find stories that matter.

Lee Hamilton, Director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University, former U.S. Representative and head of the Wilson Center will host the program, featuring:

Keith Kennedy, Staff Director, Senate Appropriations Committee; Joseph Minarik, Senior VP and Director of Research, Committee for Economic Development, and former top staffer with the House Budget Committee and Office of Management and Budget; David Rogers, Staff Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, and members of the Regional Reporters Association, the National Association of Counties and the National Conference of State Legislatures on how to make the federal budget local.

There is no cost, but reservations are required. Lunch will be served. To attend, you must be a print, broadcast, online or active freelance journalist. To reserve a seat, e-mail intern@nationalpress.org or call 202-663-7286. Provide your name, affiliation, address, telephone and email.

The National Press Foundation's participation is underwritten by the David Swit Endowment, honoring the late founder of the Washington Business Information, Inc., publisher of business newsletters.