Elizabeth Hyman Posts

When President Obama announced the formation of a Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (Jobs Council) in January, CompTIA was alarmed that none of the 23 members appointed by the president currently run a small business. In response, CompTIA’s public policy team reached out to Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-CA)  to share data on who makes up the IT industry and encourage her to contact the White House to ask that the Jobs Council include a representative from the small IT business community.  T ...

A look at the week of March 14 in public advocacy for the IT channel   This week, Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE) will try to pass 1099 repeal legislation as part of an authorization bill to fund the Small Business Administration (SBA).  Industry groups are urging the government to forgo cybersecurity legislation in favor of public-private incentives and cooperation.  New studies on implementing electronic health information systems suggest that the technology benefits healthcare professionals.Johanns ...

A look at the week of March 7 in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, the House voted to repeal the 1099 requirement, but the Congressional debate is far from over.  The interim spending bill passed by Congress cuts Department of Homeland Security (DHS) network security programs by $20 million. The federal government is evaluating its cybersecurity staffing needs and potential plans for an increase in personnel.  1099 Repeal: Not Over Yet — Although the House joined the Senate in voting ...

A look at the week of February 28 in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, discussions over government funding led to a reconsideration of essential security personnel.  The House is scheduled to consider stand-alone 1099 legislation.  Funding for electronic medical records (EMRs) may be threatened in budget cuts. Looming Government Shutdown Redefines Essential Personnel — The threat of a government shutdown has forced cybersecurity experts to reevaluate which employe ...

Earlier this month, CompTIA President and CEO Todd Thibodeaux observed that there is a significant knowledge gap among legislators, their staff and administration officials about the composition of the IT industry, and how sizeable and important a role the IT solution provider plays in the larger tech ecosystem."If a company isn't making a tangible product, producing patents or IP, they aren't getting noticed by lawmakers and federal agencies," said Thibodeaux. "We at CompTIA have a duty to rais ...

A look at the week of February 21 in public advocacy for the IT channel The Senate-approved version of the 1099 tax provision repeal bill clashes with a version of the repeal approved by House Ways and Means Committee regarding how the government can pay for the repeal.  This week, the Senate’s cyber bill was updated with language explicitly prohibiting the President from shutting down the Internet.  The White House’s 2012 budget looks to update its IT systems in order to save money in the long ...

A look at the week of February 14 in public advocacy for the IT channelThis week, the House Ways and Means Committee will begin looking over the 1099 tax provision repeal bill passed in the Senate.  Republican plans for a cybersecurity bill may contrast with efforts in the Senate.  Federal IT contracts are expected to increase, despite budget cuts.House Ways and Means To Mark up 1099 Repeal—The House Ways and Means Committee will mark up a bill this week that would repeal the 1099 tax provision ...

A look at the week of February 7 in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, the Senate voted to repeal the 1099 provision from the healthcare bill.  After watching the Egyptian government dismantle Internet communications to stifle protestors, Senators are facing tough questions about the scope of proposed cybersecurity regulations.  Dr. David Blumenthal, the national health IT coordinator, will step down from his position.  Senate Moves Forward on 1099 Repeal — The ...

Some in our IT community may wonder what does the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Workforce Investment Boards (WIB) have to do with our businesses and bottom lines?  Here’s why they matter:There are 400,000 IT jobs that are presently unfilled.  This is due to skilled workers not getting directed to employers that need them and/or the possibility that there are too few skilled individuals to meet these jobs.  Aside from those out of work, there are also incumbent workers who need to update the ...

Following up on the State of the Union address last week which focused on innovation, competitiveness and “winning the future”, the White House yesterday announced the Startup America Initiative.  Its mission, through a public/private partnership, is to accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship across the nation.  Key components are: An SBA matching fund program that will commit $1 billion to an impact investment fund for growth companies located in underserved communities and $1 billion to an ear ...