Cea Government and Legal Affairs (GLA)
About Us
In Washington, D.C., and state capitals nationwide, legislation and regulations that impact the consumer electronics (CE) industry are being considered every day. CEA Government and Legal Affairs, the legislative voice for consumer electronics, is committed to advising, lobbying and reporting on federal, state and international CE policy on behalf of our members and industry.
Public Policy News
CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro Calls on Supercommittee to include Voluntary Incentive Auctions in Deficit Reduction Package
Gary Shapiro, on behalf of CEA and its over 2,000 member companies, sent a letter to members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to urge them to consider authorizing the FCC to hold voluntary incentive spectrum auctions, which will raise between $24.5 and $33 billion for deficit reduction. Shapiro further noted that voluntary incentive auctions will promote innovation and job creation as well as greatly alleviate the looming spectrum crunch.
CEA Encourages Senate Finance Members to Support FTAs
In advance of the Senate Finance Committee mock mark-up of the pending free trade agreements (FTAs) with Korea, Colombia and Panama last week, which was cancelled at the last minute, CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro sent a letter encouraging Senators on the committee to support the agreements. Shapiro noted that the FTAs are needed to "create a level playing field, open new markets for our exports, and help put Americans back to work."
CEA Praises Senate Spectrum Bill
The Senate Commerce Committee recently passed a major spectrum bill, the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act (S.911), introduced by Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison. Michael Petricone, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs made the following statement in response:
“The Senate Commerce Committee’s action today marks a major milestone in ensuring that our nation’s spectrum resources are put to the highest use. Authorizing the FCC to conduct incentive auctions will result in millions of dollars for the U.S. Treasury, while securing our nation’s wireless future. We urge Congress to move forward on legislation to free up additional spectrum for wireless broadband as expeditiously as possible.” CEA proposed substantial changes to the bill prior to introduction and mark-up, all of which were adopted including a shift from a focus on "receiver standards" to "receiver performance." CEA was also successful in staving off a proposed amendment that would have required all cell phone receivers to be built according to government standards developed by the FCC and NTIA.
