On March 6, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia, the National Discussion and Debate Series examined the role of religion in the public square. Resolved: Religion should have no place in politics or government.

On Nov. 13, 2007, four participants argued the resolution: "In the war against terrorism and with advances in technology, Americans need to lower their expectations of privacy" in a debate moderated by Ray Suarez, senior correspondent for PBS's The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

The current judicial selection process, which requires nomination by the president and confirmation by the Senate, has led to increasing delays in filling open judicial seats as the size of the federal judiciary continues to grow. The Commission brought together a number of scholars to review the selection process of federal judges and outline means for streamlining the confirmation process so that vacant judicial seats would be filled more expeditiously.

The growth of science related questions and the magnitude and urgency of issues involving economic problems, advances in biotechnology, and concerns about ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect suggested to the Miller Center a need to re-examine the basic relationships between science and government. The Commission concluded that the argument for a science advisory mechanism within the White House was conclusive.