* Five areas the ITAA wants Congress to focus on
Before Congress adjourns for the year, the Information Technology Association of America has a to-do list for politicians to work on. Phil Bond, president and CEO of the ITAA, notes that economic growth is tied to freedom to innovate with ideas and technology. The ITAA is a trade group dedicated to advancing the IT industry.
Here are five areas the ITAA wants Congress to focus on:
* Pass appropriations measures: Noting that the U.S. government is the world’s biggest customer for IT, the ITAA says small and midsize federal IT projects could be scrapped unless Congress passes the remaining 11 appropriations bills.
* Enact R&D tax credit: The research and development tax credit gives companies a break on R&D spending, though the most one expired nearly a year ago. If companies can’t find a predictable environment for R&D in the U.S., they may look elsewhere. “The credit is critical for innovation, and innovation means jobs for America,” Bond says.
* Patent reform: The government should issue higher quality patents and restore balance to the legal system or tech firms will continue to face litigation.
* Free trade: Pass legislation supporting trade with Vietnam and Peru so U.S. firms can compete in those markets unhindered.
* Immigration reform: The government issued all of the H1B visas allowed by law more than five months ago, and the supply of visas was exhausted by backlogged applications. The Secure Knowledge Innovation and Leadership Bill introduced by Sen. John Cornyn includes provisions that would help retain highly skilled workers who are educated in the U.S., as well as raise the H1B cap and reduce the paperwork required of employers and workers who have demonstrated a record of complying with immigration laws.
