At a Nov. 14 press conference on Capitol Hill, Dave McCurdy joined Reps. Nancy Johnson and Todd Tiahrt, as well as other high-tech association leaders, in rallying support for the seamless extension and enhancement of the R&D tax credit before the end of the Congressional session. The R&D tax credit, which expired at the end of 2005, is a driver of U.S. innovation, and its lapse represents a tax increase for businesses of all size across the high-tech industry. Rep. Johnson is the longtime sponsor of legislation that would strengthen the credit and make a permanent part of the tax code; Rep. Tiahrt chairs the House Economic Competitiveness Caucus.

• Click here to read the statement of support issued by Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley and Ranking Member Max Baucus
• Click here to read EIA's press release
• Click here to learn more about EIA's work on the R&D credit
  

At its July 20 Mid-Year Policy Update, for which EIA's Board of Governors came to Washington, the Alliance hosted Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Congressmen Joe Barton (R-TX), Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Adam Smith (D-WA). The Members of Congress touched on a wide variety of current policy and political topics, from the war in Iraq and U.S.-China relations to pending communications regulatory reform legislation and the mid-term elections.

Congressman Barton received EIA's 2006 Leadership in Technology and Innovation Award, which is given to those in government or industry who have helped promote and expand opportunities for U.S. high-tech companies to compete in the global marketplace. Rep. Barton, Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, has spearheaded the House's efforts this year to pass the Communications, Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) Act addressing regulatory reform for communications and IT, which EIA and sector partner TIA support.

On behalf of Alliance sector partner TIA, Dave McCurdy testified June 13 before the Senate Commerce Committee on the Communications, Consumer's Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act, urging the Senate to craft legislation that ensures broadband networks and services operate in a minimal regulatory environment.

• The full text of McCurdy's testimony can be read here.
• Video of McCurdy's testimony can be viewed here (Real video format, courtesy of C-SPAN, McCurdy Testimony begins at approximately 24 minutes).
  • Click here to go to C-SPAN's website
  • Click here for C-SPAN's page on video viewing problems

On June 8, Dave McCurdy testified before the U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission – which advises Congress – on intellectual property rights challenges industry faces in China, EIA’s work on IPR and our views on the U.S. government’s role in the process of improving enforcement.

• The full text of McCurdy's testimony can be read here.
• To read more on EIA's work on IPR protection in China or to purchase our best practices guide click here.

As an invited guest of Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-NC), who co-chair the Congressional Manufacturing Caucus, EIA President Dave McCurdy spoke at a May 9 roundtable on the defense industry and its relationship to U.S. manufacturing. Ensuring a reasonable balance between domestic manufacturing capacity for strategic materials and industry's participation in the global economy is one of EIA's longtime priorities, and we continually work to encourage thoughtful and measured policy in this area.

EIA Director of Government Relations Storme Street attended the Presidents signing of HR 32, the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act, on March 16.

As a part of the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy, EIA strongly lobbied Congress over the past year in favor of this important legislation and met with more than a dozen Hill staff in the week of its final passage. HR 32 prohibits the trafficking in counterfeit labels and tags; mandates the forfeiture and destruction of counterfeit goods, as well as the assets used to produce and distribute them; and requires the forfeiture of property and assets derived from counterfeiting.

• Click here to read EIA's press release.

If policymakers want to promote the development of an efficient electronics recycling infrastructure that is convenient for the public, they should ensure national regulatory consistency based on a system of shared responsibility among all stakeholders, the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) said July 26, 2005 in testimony before a Senate subcommittee investigating the issue.

"EIA supports equitable, flexible and cost-effective solutions that encourage the proper management of used electronics while limiting additional costs to the public for these popular products," EIA Director of Environmental Affairs Richard Goss told the Senate Subcommittee on Superfund and Waste Management.

• Click here to read the testimony in full.
• Click here to read EIA's press release.

EIA is communicating its opposition to Buy America legislation sponsored by Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) in meetings on Capitol Hill and to the U.S. House of Representatives Leadership. On May 25, member companies who participate in EIA’s Working Group on Competitive Procurement met with Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), a key ally of the U.S. high-tech industry.

For more information on the Buy America legislation and EIA’s opposition to it, see the following resources:

• Rep. Don Manzullo's "Buy America" Legislation
• EIA Opposition Letter to Leadership of House Homeland Security Committee
• EIA Opposition Letter to Leadership of House Armed Services Committee
• Rep. Tom Davis' Statement Opposing "Buy America"
• EIA Thank You to Rep. Tom Davis
• EIA Letter to Senate Armed Services Committee Opposing Procurement Restrictions

EIA recently delivered a letter urging support of the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreeement (CAFTA-DR) to Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) and more than 40 other House Members. As part of EIA's effort to build support for the agreement (and for expanded trade opportunities in general), the Alliance has also been visiting with key members on the Hill (including undecideds and Dems).

To read the EIA CAFTA-DR support letter, go to: http://www.eia.org/resources/ndc_cafta_letter.pdf

On May 23, EIA President Dave McCurdy applauded the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of H.R. 32, the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act, and thanked Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) for his leadership in sponsoring this legislation. "The fight against intellectual property theft must be a top trade priority," said McCurdy. "Passage of this legislation will help reduce piracy and send the signal that the United States is serious about this effort."

To read EIA's statement in full, go to:
http://www.eia.org/news/pressreleases/2005-05-23.219.phtml

On May 12, EIA commended Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) in a letter from EIA President Dave McCurdy for his continued focus on the critical issue of U.S. innovation and his introduction the same day of the Collaborative Opportunities to Mobilize and Promote Education, Technology, and Enterprise (COMPETE) Act.