playing to our strengths the engineer advocate ron tabroff russell harrison region 1 ieee-usa...
TRANSCRIPT
Playing to Our StrengthsPlaying to Our Strengths
The Engineer AdvocateThe Engineer Advocate
Ron Tabroff Russell Harrison
Region 1 IEEE-USAGovernment Affairs Chair
IEEE-USA Government IEEE-USA Government AffairsAffairs
Representing IEEE Representing IEEE members in the United members in the United States to Congress, the States to Congress, the media, state and local media, state and local governments.governments.
Sen. Ted Kennedy
Overview of Overview of WashingtonWashington
Republicans don’t want to give the Republicans don’t want to give the Democrats a win.Democrats a win.
Democrats think they will get a Democrats think they will get a better deal next year.better deal next year.
Nobody wants to do Nobody wants to do
anything.anything.
Intellectual PropertyIntellectual Property
_________________
Patent Reform Act of 2007Patent Reform Act of 2007– H.R. 1908 and S. 1145H.R. 1908 and S. 1145
Mostly Dead for 2008Mostly Dead for 2008
Student Loan Student Loan ForgivenessForgivenessH.R. 3634 – STEP ActH.R. 3634 – STEP Act
Scholarships for Scholarships for engineering studentsengineering students
Loan forgiveness for Loan forgiveness for professional engineersprofessional engineers
Good support, but no Good support, but no luck.luck.
Immigration ReformImmigration Reform
U.S. Citizenship
Temporary Workers
Permanent Legal
Residents
H-1B VisasEB Visas
Theory
Immigration ReformImmigration Reform
U.S. Citizenship
500,000 Temporary
Workers
60,000 EB Visas
Practice
Don’t Move!
Immigration ReformImmigration Reform
Permanent residents are better than Permanent residents are better than temporary workers.temporary workers.
Current system favors temporary Current system favors temporary workers.workers.
Legislative Goals:Legislative Goals:– No increase in H-1B’s until reformsNo increase in H-1B’s until reforms– More EB visasMore EB visas– Path from student to citizenPath from student to citizen– Protections for American & foreign Protections for American & foreign
workersworkers
EB Visa ReformEB Visa Reform
o HR 6039 - Exempt all HR 6039 - Exempt all students with Masters or students with Masters or PhD from U.S. school PhD from U.S. school from EB cap. from EB cap.
o HR 5882 - Recapture HR 5882 - Recapture unused visas. unused visas.
o HR 5921 - Eliminate EB HR 5921 - Eliminate EB country caps. country caps.
Energy BillEnergy Bill
Tax credits for alternative energy Tax credits for alternative energy productionproduction– Solar powerSolar power– Wind powerWind power– Plug-In Hybrid Electric VehiclesPlug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Status – HostagesStatus – Hostages– Democrats want taxes on oil Democrats want taxes on oil
companiescompanies– Pres. Bush refuses to raise taxes on oil Pres. Bush refuses to raise taxes on oil
companiescompanies
Smart GridSmart Grid
Dept. of Energy instructed to Dept. of Energy instructed to create standards in 2005 Energy create standards in 2005 Energy BillBill
– IEEE is part of that processIEEE is part of that process– Process is moving very slowlyProcess is moving very slowly
Interconnectivity Standards took Interconnectivity Standards took 12 years.12 years.
Nuclear PowerNuclear Power
Legislative efforts Legislative efforts focus on removing focus on removing red tape from:red tape from:
– Siting decisionsSiting decisions– Waste removal and Waste removal and
storagestorage
Some talk of Some talk of insurance and tax insurance and tax credits.credits.
Other IssuesOther Issues
E-HealthE-Health Association HealthcareAssociation Healthcare PensionsPensions Budget – R&DBudget – R&D
_________________
What do Lobbyists Do?What do Lobbyists Do?
Advocate PositionsAdvocate Positions Bridge between Bridge between
voters and voters and politicianspoliticians
ResearchResearch Information on Information on
specific populationsspecific populations Ideas & SolutionsIdeas & Solutions
What do Lobbyists Do?What do Lobbyists Do?
Advocate PositionsAdvocate Positions Bridge between Bridge between
voters and voters and politicianspoliticians
ResearchResearch Information on Information on
specific populationsspecific populations Ideas & SolutionsIdeas & Solutions
Politicians listen to Politicians listen to lobbyists because voters lobbyists because voters
don’t talk to them.don’t talk to them.
Politicians cast votes Politicians cast votes based on what will get based on what will get
them them re-elected.re-elected.
This is not bad. This is not bad.
It is exactly how the system is It is exactly how the system is supposed to work.supposed to work.
_________________
Does it work?Does it work?
Percent saying the following had Percent saying the following had “some” or “a lot” of influence “some” or “a lot” of influence over their boss.over their boss.
Visit from constituent – 98%Visit from constituent – 98% Letter from constituent – 96%Letter from constituent – 96% Lobbyist – 92%Lobbyist – 92% Form Letter – 65%Form Letter – 65%Congressional management FoundationCongressional management Foundation
Government Relations Government Relations at Your Sectionat Your SectionGovernment Relations is ….Government Relations is ….
- A member benefitA member benefit- A great way to excite and involve A great way to excite and involve
your membersyour members- A help to our profession, our A help to our profession, our
members and our countrymembers and our country
What Can Your Section What Can Your Section Do?Do?* Discuss policy issues at your * Discuss policy issues at your meetingsmeetings
Simply mentioning public policy helps raise awareness.Simply mentioning public policy helps raise awareness.
* Add policy articles to your newsletter* Add policy articles to your newsletterIEEE-USA can draft the articles, or you can find a member IEEE-USA can draft the articles, or you can find a member
who is interested.who is interested.
* Participate in IEEE-USA’s Grassroots * Participate in IEEE-USA’s Grassroots Network Network
IEEE-USA GrassrootsIEEE-USA Grassroots
The CARE Network – The CARE Network – Giving IEEE-USA Giving IEEE-USA permission to tell you about legislation permission to tell you about legislation that will affect youthat will affect you..– Several sections have signed their Several sections have signed their
members up for the network, as an members up for the network, as an added member benefit.added member benefit.
– Network members receive between 6 Network members receive between 6 and 10 e-mail Alerts each year, as and 10 e-mail Alerts each year, as legislation affecting them is considered legislation affecting them is considered in Congressin Congress
IEEE-USA GrassrootsIEEE-USA Grassroots
Legislative Action Center:Legislative Action Center: www.ieeeusa.org/policy/lac
– Easy access to your state and Easy access to your state and federal elected officials.federal elected officials.
– Information on current bills.Information on current bills.– Quick e-mails to your legislators.Quick e-mails to your legislators.– Biographical, committee and staff Biographical, committee and staff
information on your legislators.information on your legislators.
StoriesStories
Wisconsin – Individual effortWisconsin – Individual effort Rock River – Cheap entertainmentRock River – Cheap entertainment Seattle – Engaging politiciansSeattle – Engaging politicians California – Students effortsCalifornia – Students efforts New York – Education our LeadersNew York – Education our Leaders Pittsburgh – Embarrassing the Pittsburgh – Embarrassing the
PowerfulPowerful
IEEE-USA has 215,000 members in IEEE-USA has 215,000 members in the U.S., which is a big number the U.S., which is a big number politically. Despite our numbers, politically. Despite our numbers, we are often ignored by politicians we are often ignored by politicians because they don’t know who we because they don’t know who we are. It is our responsibility and in are. It is our responsibility and in our interests, as engineers, as IEEE our interests, as engineers, as IEEE leaders and as Americans, to leaders and as Americans, to change this.change this.
What do politicians What do politicians want?want?
A chance to impress A chance to impress you.you.
A chance to help A chance to help youyou
Anecdotes.Anecdotes.Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid
Senator Chuck Schumer
Life of a Grassroots Life of a Grassroots MessageMessage Sent by a voter.Sent by a voter. Read / listened to Read / listened to
by a kid.by a kid. Sorted by issue Sorted by issue
into a folder.into a folder. Response sent.Response sent.
Read by a senior Read by a senior staffer when:staffer when:– A decision needs A decision needs
to be made on to be made on how to vote, orhow to vote, or
– The folder The folder reaches a specific reaches a specific size.size.
Impact:Impact:– Bring attentionBring attention– Decide as voteDecide as vote