Washington, DC, December 15, 2004 - Dave McCurdy, the president of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), today urged policymakers to bring renewed focus to the critical issue of U.S. business competitiveness and to craft a national innovation strategy and vision.

"With the 2004 election behind us, the real work of mapping out our country's economic future is now underway," said McCurdy, a participant in the U.S. Council on Competitiveness's National Innovation Summit taking place here today. "Leading voices such as EIA and the Council on Competitiveness have spent a great deal of time the past year surveying the trends that will influence America's place in the global marketplace and our ability to compete against other innovation nations."

"The recommendations outlined in EIA's policy playbook on innovation last spring, for example, provide policymakers and elected officials with a solid starting point for discussion and debate," he added. "But if we are going to ensure that innovation remains a distinctly American economic trait, the U.S. high-tech industry needs partners in government ready and willing to make technology, trade and competitiveness cornerstones of this national innovation strategy and vision."

The 40 recommendations outlined in EIA's policy playbook, The Technology Industry at an Innovation Crossroads (available at www.eia.org/docs/innovation_playbook.pdf), cover six topics critical to the continue success of the U.S. high-tech economy: the international business and trade environment, visa and immigration policy, workforce assistance and training, the U.S. business environment, K-12 math and science education, and research and development.

McCurdy served as a participant in the Council on Competitiveness' recent Task Force on Innovation and provided EIA's perspective on the relationship between innovation and emerging international markets. In January, U.S. high-tech leaders who compose EIA's Board of Governors will meet at the EIA Executive Leadership Forum to launch the second phase of EIA's Innovation Initiative by determining which policy proposals to advance in 2005 and the 109th Congress. The Alliance recently sent a congratulatory letter to President Bush on his reelection as President of the United States as part of this effort. In the letter, EIA urged the Bush Administration to work with the U.S. high-tech industry in the coming months to develop a technology-oriented economic agenda for the Administration's second term in office.

"Today, at its economic conference in Washington, D.C., the Bush Administration will also focus on domestic factors that impact U.S. competitiveness," McCurdy pointed out. "This kind of focus is critical to our industry and we look forward to working with President Bush's economic team in the months to come so that the U.S. can maintain its leadership position on innovation."

About EIA: The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) is the leading advocate in Washington, D.C., for the U.S. high-tech industry. The Alliance, which celebrated its 80th anniversary this year, is a partnership of electronic and high-tech associations and companies whose mission is to promote the market development and competitiveness of the $400 billion U.S. high-tech industry through domestic and international policy efforts. EIA's member companies provide products and services ranging from microscopic electronic components to state-of-the-art defense, space and industry high-tech systems, as well as the full range of telecommunications and consumer electronic products. For more information, go to www.eia.org.