TIA Applauds Commerce Secretary Bryson for Issuing COMPETES Report, Urging Extension of R&D Tax Credit and Continued U.S. Support for Basic Research

Washington, D.C. – The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), which represents the manufacturers and suppliers of global information and communications technology (ICT) networks, today applauded Commerce Secretary John Bryson for delivering to Congress the COMPETES report, "The Competitiveness and Innovative Capacity of the United States."  Mandated by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, which was signed into law in January 2011, the COMPETES report seeks to highlight bipartisan priorities to promote U.S. innovation and competitiveness.  

TIA provided input to the Commerce Department effort, including an innovation package and R&D white paper last year.  The findings and recommendations echo many of the recommendations made in TIA's innovation package and R&D white paper.  
Key findings from the report include:

• Federal investments in research, education and infrastructure were critical building blocks for American economic competitiveness, business expansion and job creation in the last century
• Failures to properly invest in, and have comprehensive strategies for, those areas have eroded America's competitive position; and,
• In a constrained budgetary environment, prioritizing support for these pillars are imperative for America's economic future and provide a strong return on investment for the U.S. taxpayer.

Key recommendations include:

• Continue to support government funding for basic research
• Enhance and extend the R&D tax credit
• Speed the movement of ideas from basic science labs to commercial application
• Improve STEM education
• Increase spectrum for wireless communications
• Increase access to data to help spur innovation
• Coordinate Federal support for manufacturing
• Continue and strengthen efforts to foster regional clusters and entrepreneurship
• Promote America's exports and improve access to foreign markets
• Ensure that the conditions exist in which private enterprise can thrive including reforming the corporate tax system and ensuring the intellectual property system continues to encourage growth.

The full report is available online at commerce.gov/competes.

About TIA
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. Since 1924, TIA has been enhancing the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment, and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org.

TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Read ANSI's report, "Standards Boost Business" at http://www.standardsboostbusiness.org/.

Join TIA at its annual Member Meeting, Conference and Exhibition, TIA 2012: Inside the Network, June 5-7, 2012 in Dallas. For detailed information about the event go to tia2012.org.

View video news programming on TIA Now at tianow.org.

TIA's 2011 Market Review & Forecast, is available for purchase online at the TIA store. TIA members receive a discount of more than 60 percent off of the cover price. Review copies are available for qualified media.

TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS Solutions, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco Systems, Dow Chemical Company, Ericsson, Inc., FAL Associates, GENBAND, Inc., Henkels & McCoy, Juniper Networks, ILS Technology, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola Mobility, Motorola Solutions, Nokia Siemens Networks, Numerex Corp., OneChip Photonics, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Qualcomm, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tarana Wireless, Inc., Tellabs, TE Connectivity, Walker and Associates, and WirefreeCom, Inc.