As Congress adjourns for its summer recess it is critical that we mobilize and energize AeA's grassroots network to lobby Senators and Congressmen on the H-1B/green card issue while they are back at their district offices.  The overall immigration bill is dead, but our efforts and attempts to get changes to current law governing H-1Bs and green cards are still very much alive.  AeA strongly feels that our companies cannot wait until 2009 when another immigration bill will be debated, therefore we're asking for your participation in telling your company's story today.

What the industry needs is a strategic and national effort to persuade legislators of the importance of the shortage of H-1Bs and green cards and how this directly affects business operations.  There are different vehicles that we can use but mostly we need your voice -- especially if you're from a small or medium sized company -- to demonstrate to Members of Congress how critical it is for your company to recruit the best and brightest from around the world. 

Getting this message out in the home district is demonstrably more effective than doing it here in Washington.  We also need to fill the void whereby members of the Congress have stated “I never hear from small and medium size companies. I only hear from the big guys.”

If you would like to get involved to volunteer and tell your company's story, please contact your local council executive director or Alan Vazquez, Manager/Counsel, Domestic Policy, at 202.682.4439.

John Palafoutas (bio)
Senior Vice President for Domestic Policy & Congressional Affairs

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As the U.S. Congress creeps closer to its August recess, AeA continues to advocate in various state legislatures that are still in session for issues of importance to the tech community.  Here's a snapshot of some of the key issues that we've been working on this past month.

• California
  - Upcoming Green Chemistry Meeting in Silicon Valley
  - RFID Bills Scheduled to be Heard on Assembly Floor for Third Reading
  - Tax / Fiscal Update
  - Procurement Update
  - Upcoming AeA California State Policy/Procurement Events
   
• Massachusetts
  - AeA Massachusetts Legislative Update
  - Read AeA's Testimony on Security Freezes and Notification of Data Breaches (SB 208)
  - Read AeA's Testimony on Electronic Waste Legislation
   
• New Jersey and Pennsylvania
  - New Jersey Regulation Update (ID Theft)
  - New Jersey Legislative Update (Broadband, E-waste, Internet Dating, SPAM, Tax Credits, Text Messaging, & Warranties)
  - Pennsylvania Legislation Update (Sypware)

For more information on activity across the states or to get involved with AeA's State Government Affairs contact Ben Aderson, Manager/Counsel, State Government Affairs and Technology Policy, at 202.682.4428 or benjamin_aderson@aeanet.org.

Ben Aderson (bio)
Manager/Counsel, State Government Affairs and Technology Policy

AeA Members Save 10% on Registration AeA is proud to be an association sponsor for RFID World: Boston, which will focus on the issues of security, privacy and authentication.  This educational business and technology conference delivers the practical answers and realistic information about the issues affecting the growth of RFID in the months and years ahead. Companies will gather together to discover and improve solutions that will either protect their brand, curtail counterfeiting, protect consumers, or comply with ePedigree regulations.  At the conference AeA's Ben Aderson will present a keynote address on, "How Government Policy Affects RFID: The Good, The Bad, and The Bizarre."  While some policymakers and consumers are well-informed about the benefits of RFID, many misunderstand how the technology can be used.  Legislation has been introduced that restricts government procurement, forces products with an RFID tag to be labeled, and bans RFID tags altogether. The consequences of poor policy can be devastating to the industry and impede product sales.  This session will address how industry can help policymakers and consumers better understand RFID in order to prevent harmful regulation and take advantage of government's interest in using the technology. Learn more or register today using promotional code "aea07" to receive your discount!

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AeA's Government-Industry Executive Interchange
to Focus on Health IT and Data Protection

Attend Washington, DC's premier executive networking event on September 19.  AeA's Quarterly Government-Industry Executive Interchange offers a venue for Federal government CIOs, Program Managers, and Procurement Officials to meet and collaborate with the leaders of the high-tech industry in an informal and intimate setting.  This forum, to be held at AeA's David Packard Conference Center, is directed for Government and Industry executives to discuss their similar experiences, share insights, and exchange best practices.

We will have two panel discussions focusing on:

• Health IT:  Challenges, Technologies, and Opportunities

• Data Sharing, Protection, and Interoperability

Recent speakers and panelists at these Interchange events have included the CIOs of the U.S. Dept of Homeland Security, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs; and industry executives from Adobe, Apple, Cisco, Citrix, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, and Symantec.

Space is limited so register today to guarantee your company's attendance.  For more information on this event visit www.aeanet.org/executiveinterchange or contact Goldy Kamali at 202.682.4432.

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