The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, formerly the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, regarding tonight's State of the Union address:
"By streaming tonight's address on Amazon Video and connecting with voters across the Snapchat and YouTube platforms, the White House sees the ever-expanding power of technology to engage an audience. But technology is also essential to achieving the success President Obama envisions for our country and for improving our everyday lives.
"With some of the world's most disruptive companies - both global brands and innovative startups - the U.S. tech sector will help reduce the deficit, create jobs, improve sustainability and grow the economy. And tech's evolving sharing economy brings unique value, giving us more transportation and hospitality choices, creating good jobs with flexible hours and tapping capital resources such as a second car or a spare bedroom. But we must have the right policies in place to achieve tangible benefits.
"Washington can make immediate progress in three areas of bipartisan agreement: first, passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), after the recent expansion of the Information Technology Agreement; second, with strong support for current House and Senate legislation patent reform is again well within reach to stem the $1.5 billion patent trolls drain each week from our economy; third, given the president's support for U.S. innovation, he should repeal the Department of Labor's imposition of significantly higher overtime-pay thresholds that will cripple American startups.
"As technology proves its ability to address more and more of our challenges, we look forward to working with the next administration and the Congress to enact policies that allow this country's innovators to stretch our economic potential and change our lives for the better."
Click here to read Gary Shapiro's most recent column, "Measures Obama could call for to make State of the Union 'stronger."
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About Consumer Technology Association:
Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, formerly the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, is the trade association representing the $287 billion U.S. consumer technology industry. More than 2,200 companies - 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the world's best knownbrands - enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns and produces CES® - the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technology. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTA's industry services.