As part of the Clinton Administration's initiative to bring fathers back to the center of American life, a conference was convened in May 1996 at which federal staff members, practitioners, and researchers shared successful practices, identified challenges, discussed current research, and recommended future actions. This report summarizes the themes, issues, and next steps that emerged from participants' discussions. The report is presented in six parts. Part 1 describes the federal fatherhood initiative of the Clinton Administration. Part 2 details the organization of the federal conference. Part 3 identifies key themes and issues emerging at the conference, highlighting the efforts of agencies and practitioners to strengthen the role of fathers by moving policy and practice in new directions to meet fathers' needs, building capacity for new strategies, and removing obstacles to fathers' successful involvement with their children. Part 4 provides an extensive summary of the federal agency resources and activities relevant to the conference topic. Part 5 presents a synopsis of each of the 14 workshop sessions: (1) working with practitioners; (2) supporting new parents; (3) improving federal research on fathers; (4) fathers and employment strategies; (5) fathers' roles in children's learning; (6) working with nonresidential fathers; (7) work and family programs; (8) preparing adolescent males for fatherhood; (9) why fathers matter to children; (10) reunion and reintegration support; (11) working with foundations; (12) telecommuting; (13) youth violence; and (14) fathers in early child care. Part 6 summarizes conference participants' suggestions for future actions. Six appendices include the conference agenda and the President's Memorandum asking federal agencies to find ways to strengthen fathers' roles in families. (KB)