Issue Position: Promoting Innovative Technology

Issue Position

The engine of our economy will always be the ability of Americans to innovate. To keep the economy on track, Congress must push policies that enhance our ability to innovate, not hamper it. Among the issues that impact this effort are education, intellectual property, and competition policy.

We have made great strides in educating our youth in math and science, but we have much still to do. There is no way the United States can maintain self-sufficiency in a domestic workforce in the technology sector without highly-skilled and educated workers. While there will always be a need to attract some workers from abroad, we should not depend on these workers to fill a void caused by our failure to educate enough of our students in math and science at home. We must rise to the challenge and ensure that our colleges and universities are meeting the demands of our most innovative companies.

In the 109th Congress, I supported legislation to improve the ability of our students in math and science. I will continue to support similar efforts.

The various sectors of our economy, be it pharmaceuticals, robotics, software, or motion pictures, are driven by a desire to succeed. Intellectual property in the form of patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets give our businesses the incentive to innovate. For example, why would a company spend millions or billions of dollars to develop a new technology if a competitor could immediately swoop in and copy the technology at virtually no cost?

Protecting intellectual property fuels our economy and spurs technological advancement. I am a sponsor and cosponsor of several pieces of legislation that would help protect all types of intellectual property including the Patent Reform Act, PRO IP Act, Patent Pilot Act, and Performance Rights Act to name a few.

A free market with numerous competitors and distinct technologies leads to efficiencies, productivity and innovation. In some cases a completely free market that leads of over consolidation can lead to technological stagnation. This happens when a company has no competitors and therefore has no reason to improve upon existing technology. Our antitrust laws and other areas of competition policy serve to prevent our industries from retarding innovation and protect American consumers and our economy.

I serve on the Judiciary Committee's Antitrust Task Force where it is my responsibility to ensure competition in fields ranging from cable television to credit card companies. I will continue to promote technological advancement through my congressional oversight and legislative activities.

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