During the 111th Congress, 2d Session (2010), IEEE-USA will focus on the
following priority issues.
INNOVATION
& COMPETITIVENESS - IEEE-USA will support the implementation of
innovation-related legislation and the associated R&D budget appropriations
needed to sustain U.S. technological leadership, promote economic
competitiveness and create high-value advanced research and engineering jobs
in the U.S. Priorities include:
-
Enhancing federal investments in
non-defense engineering research and education.
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Increasing federal investments in
defense-related basic research and development including the university
research initiative.
-
Enacting a permanent extension of
the Federal R&D tax credit.
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Strengthening K-12 math and science
education, and undergraduate and graduate engineering education.
-
Advocating sound U.S. defense R&D,
aeronautics and astronautics technology policies.
-
Assessing R&D offshoring trends in
order to propose responses designed to reduce the potentially adverse
impact on U.S. scientific leadership and technological competitiveness.
ENERGY
– IEEE-USA will support proactive energy policies that result in the
development of new energy sources and the reduction of U.S. dependence on
oil in an economically and environmentally sound way. Priorities include:
-
Building a stronger and smarter
electric energy infrastructure (“Smart Grid”) including an expanded
transmission system.
-
Expanding use of renewable electric
and nuclear power generation.
-
Electrifying transportation, with a
focus on deployment of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and associated
infrastructure
-
Developing technology for massive
electricity storage systems
BROADBAND
NETWORKS - IEEE-USA will support public policy initiatives to
provide nationwide and ubiquitous access to affordable high-speed broadband
data services and to facilitate use of new and demanding Internet
applications. Such access will stimulate innovation, spur economic activity,
increase national security and contribute to increased productivity for the
nation. Priorities include:
-
Designating universal and
affordable access to high-speed broadband networks as a national
priority and establish a series of bandwidth goals and target dates for
deployment.
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Providing economic incentives for
broadband investments and uses that qualify as furthering our national
objectives.
-
Fostering further competition in
facilities, service provision and content through legislation and
regulation.
IMMIGRATION
– IEEE-USA will support public policies to ensure greater equity in the
recruitment, utilization and compensation of US and foreign–born high tech
workers. Priorities include:
-
Increasing the availability of
permanent, employment-based (EB) visas and streamline the immigrant
admissions process.
-
Expediting short-term visitor visa
processing.
-
Facilitating the transition of
foreign students with advanced degrees in STEM fields to LPR (green
card) status.
-
Reforming the H-1B temporary work
visa program.
PATENT
REFORM – The U.S. economy and job growth depends upon strong
protections for intellectual property. IEEE-USA will promote patent reforms
that are equitable and serve the entire cross-section of IEEE-USA
membership, including fledgling companies (and solo inventors), university
faculty, as well as Fortune 500 companies. Priorities include:
ENGINEERING
WORKFORCE SECURITY – IEEE-USA will support public policy initiatives
to foster continuing education and retraining of the engineering workforce;
to improve the accessibility and affordability of high quality health
insurance; and, to expand tax-favored opportunities to save for retirement.
Priorities include:
-
Enacting legislation to enable
business associations and professional societies to offer affordable
health insurance plans for members and their families.
-
Supporting changes in the tax
treatment of health insurance and employment-based health benefits.
-
Proposing new incentives for
continuing education to help engineers and other professionals maintain
their skills and remain competitive.
-
Supporting tax and other incentives
to retrain engineers and other skilled
high-tech workers who are displaced.
E-HEALTH
- IEEE-USA will support public policies designed to improve the quality,
availability and affordability of healthcare through greater adoption of
information technology, including the establishment of a National Health
Information Network. Priorities include:
-
Ensuring interoperability of
electronic health information systems.
-
Supporting community demonstration
projects using Electronic Health Records.
-
Improving the availability of
credible information on health care alternatives, providers, and
institutions through electronic media.
-
Ensuring the privacy and security
of personal health records to prevent abuses such as genetic
discrimination.
CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION –IEEE-USA will promote technology policies
designed to reduce the vulnerability of critical U.S. infrastructures to
terrorist attacks and other natural disasters. Priorities include:
-
Ensuring reliability of the
electric power grid.
-
Enhancing port and aviation
security.
-
Promoting cybersecurity and
protection of the computer networks that control much of our civil
infrastructures
Other Issues of Concern
In addition to these priorities, IEEE-USA will work with other IEEE
organizational units to support their government relations needs and will
seize opportunities to make contributions on other issues as they arise on
subjects ranging from R&D, energy, communications, careers and
transportation.
FEEDBACK WELCOME
Do not
hesitate to contact us and express your views about legislative or
regulatory actions in either your home state legislature or Congress.
Please let IEEE-USA know if there are opportunities to affect positive
changes for the U.S. engineering community and industries that rely on
engineers. If you have questions about these issues please contact Erica
Wissolik at
e.wissolik@ieee.org.
