President-elect Obama
The future of technology issues
The presidential election of 2008 has come to a close, and pressing matters requiring hard work from both government and industry are ready to be addressed. Issues affecting the information and communications technology industry will play a prominent role in President-elect Obama’s first term in office.
TIA mined the Obama campaign website (BarackObama.com) to compile this issue-by-issue breakdown of how the president-elect plans to move ahead on issues ranging from broadband access to universal service.
The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect or correspond with the views of TIA or its member companies.
Obama’s Technology Policy Positions: (click any issue below to jump directly to it)
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Policy Recommendations |
Make the R&D tax credit permanent so that firms can rely on it when making decisions to invest in domestic R&D over multi-year timeframes. |
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Repeal tax breaks and loopholes that reward corporations that retain their earnings overseas, and use those savings |
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No provision in plan |
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No provision in plan |
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Users must be free to access content, to use applications, and to attach personal devices. |
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Strongly support the principle of network neutrality. Network providers should not be allowed to charge fees to privilege the content or applications of some web sites and Internet applications over others. |
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Deliver true broadband to every community in America through a combination of reform of the Universal Service Fund, better use of the nation’s wireless spectrum, promotion of next-generation facilities, technologies and applications, and new tax and loan incentives. Redefine “broadband:” The Federal Communications Commission today defines “broadband” as 200 kbps. Obama will define broadband for purposes of national policy at speeds demanded by 21st century business and communications. |
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Ensure that rural Americans have access to a modern communications infrastructure; modernize an FCC program that supports rural phone service so that it promotes affordable broadband coverage across rural America as well. The plan will be attractive to existing telephone companies and entrepreneurs who can bring wireless and other technologies to meet the needs of rural Americans. Continue providing universal service funding to wireless carriers that want to provide wireless services in higher cost rural areas but need universal service support to cover the cost of building towers and networks to serve rural areas. |
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Develop a national, interoperable, wireless network for local, state and federal first responders. Catalyze national leadership to spur the development and deployment of new technologies to promote interoperability, broadband access, and more effective communications among first responders and emergency response systems. Use the authority over spectrum licenses to establish an effective public-private partnership that would facilitate the development of a next generation network for use by public safety agencies on a priority basis. |
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Update surveillance laws and ensure that law enforcement investigations and intelligence-gathering relating to U.S. citizens are done only under the rule of law. Supports restrictions on how information may be used and technology safeguards to verify how the information has actually been used. |
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Support doubling the federal funding for basic research over ten years, changing the posture of our federal government to one that embraces science and technology. This will foster home-grown innovation, help ensure the competitiveness of US technology-based businesses, and ensure that 21st century jobs can and will grow in America. Invest in University-Based Research – strongly supports expanding research initiatives at American colleges and universities. The U.S. faces a challenge in funding younger researchers. Would provide new research grants to the most outstanding early-career researchers in the country. |
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No provision in plan |
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Ensure intellectual property is protected in foreign markets, and promote greater cooperation on international standards that allow our technologies to compete everywhere. Update and reform our copyright and patent systems to promote civic discourse, innovation and investment while ensuring that intellectual property owners are fairly treated. Give the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) the resources to improve patent quality, opening up the patent process to citizen review |
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Increase the Federal Trade Commission’s enforcement budget and will step up international cooperation to track down cyber-criminals. |
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Increase access to care in rural areas by promoting wider adoption of effective telecommunications and health information technologies. Invest $10 billion a year over the next 5 years to move the U.S. health care system to broad adoption of standards-based electronic health information systems. Phase in requirements for full implementation of health IT and commit the necessary federal resources to make it happen. Lower health care costs by investing in electronic information technology systems. |
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Assign a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to ensure that our government and all its agencies have the right infrastructure, policies and services for the 21st century. The CTO will:
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Support the Fostering Independence Through Technology Act, which offers 21st century solutions, such as home monitoring and communications technologies, to overcoming barriers for people with disabilities. |
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Demand a review of our existing uses of our wireless spectrum. Create incentives for smarter, more efficient and more imaginative use of government spectrum and new standards for commercial spectrum to bring affordable broadband to rural communities that previously lacked it. |
Support trade policies that open up foreign markets to support good American jobs. Trade agreements should spread good labor and environmental standards around the world. Pressure the World Trade Organization to enforce trade agreements and stop countries from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and nontariff barriers on U.S. exports. |
In the Know on Telecommunications Policy
Stay abreast of the latest updates and background on FCC proceedings and federal legislative issues important to our industry with the TIA Legislative and Regulatory Trackers.
- TIA Legislative Tracker (PDF)
- TIA Regulatory Tracker (PDF)
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