Economists and Educators debated the economic implications of the state of American education. Librarian of Congress, Dr. James H. Billington opened the forum on the role of education in America's economic future. His remarks were followed by a panel on a comparative study of the U.S. education system with those in other countries. Among the issues they addressed were preparing students for competitive roles in the global economy, technological demands of the U.S. labor market, and the pace of education reform.