WHAT: The William S. Boyd School of Law will host the first field hearing of the Congressional Oversight Panel (COP), which was created to examine the government's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) - the $700 billion rescue plan for the nation's financial sector.

The committee will report back to Congress on how the recession is affecting local communities and will focus on Nevada's high foreclosure rate and the recession's impact statewide. Local community members will join the 4-member panel, including Senator Harry Reid of Nevada and Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.

WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m. Open to the public.

WHERE: Thomas & Mack Moot Court Facility at the Boyd School of Law at UNLV

DETAILS: The COP was created in October to "review the current state of financial markets and the regulatory system." The panel members are Elizabeth Warren, chairwoman of the committee and the Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, Richard Neiman, Superintendent of Banks for the New York State Banking Department, Damon Silvers, Associate Counsel for the AFL-CIO. For more information, please visit http://cop.senate.gov/.

MEDIA: Media is invited to the event.