Intellectual Property
U.S. Lodges Two Trade Complaints Against China
     The U.S. government lodged a pair of formal World Trade Organization complaints this week against China for lackluster enforcement of intellectual property rights and barriers it imposes on trade in music, movies and books. American officials have tried to address issues of copyright piracy and market access outside the international body, but the unauthorized content copying and the trade blockade in China continues. U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said piracy and counterfeiting levels in China remain unacceptably high, Schwab said, noting that widespread IP infringement costs U.S. firms and workers billions of dollars annually. In the case of many products, the bootlegging also poses the risk of harm to consumers in China, the United States and around the world, she said.

Budget
FTC Notes Actions On Tech Front, Seeks More Money
     Spyware and spam and pretexting, oh my! Those issues and more are on the FTC's technology agenda as it seeks more money from Congress to fight the problems posed by emerging technologies. All five FTC members testified before the Senate Commerce Committee. Commissioner Jonathan Leibowitz spoke specifically about crackdowns on secretly installed computer spyware, unsolicited commercial e-mails known as spam, and pretexting, which is the practice of obtaining telephone records through fraudulent means. The commission has brought 11 spyware and adware cases in the past two years. The commission also has brought almost 90 anti-spam cases in the last decade. And Leibowitz said the commission has filed five pretexting complaints against Web-based firms, with two resulting in strong remedies. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., said he would work to "get you some more resources" if the commission would explain how it would use the added money or statutory authority.

Education
Coalition Seeks More Science, Tech In Education Law
     People who want U.S. children to experience more rigorous schooling in science and technology have strong allies in the House and in organized labor. Late last month, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Coalition asked the House Education and Labor Committee to consider the group's proposed changes to a 2002 education law. The recommendations would strengthen existing science, technology, engineering and math activities and establish new initiatives. Rep. Vernon Ehlers, a Michigan Republican who co-chairs a congressional education caucus, backs the coalition's call to bolster a program for enhancing math and science in schools through professional development. Both the coalition and Ehlers want dedicated funding for the program. The National Education Association also supports the coalition's plan. NEA President Reg Weaver said in a statement that it would "help draw new educators to these high-need areas."

Cyber Security
Agencies' C-Minus In Guarding Systems Is Up Slightly
     Federal entities are making progress to improve computer security, according to the latest government report card, but the overall grade for 2006 was still a C-minus. Virginian Tom Davis, the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said the score is an improvement over the D-plus for 2005. The scoring is based on how well entities complied with the 2002 Federal Information Security Management Act and for the first time also considered how agencies handled much-publicized data-security breaches last year. Davis expressed concern over some of the most vulnerable entities -- the Defense, Homeland Security and Treasury departments, which scored Fs or Ds. He called the security-sensitive departments "open targets." White House e-government chief Karen Evans added: "I take this overall grade as my own. I would not accept a C-minus on my kids' report card, and I would not accept one here."

E-Government
Maryland Revives Bill To Verify Electronic Votes
     Maryland legislation to require e-voting machines to produce verifiable paper trails was resurrected in the last week of the 2006 session and sent to Gov. Martin O'Malley. The bill effectively would require jurisdictions to replace or retrofit the state's fleet of paperless, touch-screen voting machines. Similar mandates for e-voting paper trails already have been enacted in about two dozen states. The Maryland legislation appeared to be dead in the state Senate last month before its resurrection. The state House moved quickly to endorse a final version and sent it to O'Malley. An O'Malley spokesman said he has not taken a position on the proposal, H.B. 18, and is reviewing it. The General Assembly also approved legislation to enhance criminal penalties against sex offenders and cleared a proposal to protect consumers from identity theft by allowing them to request security freezes on consumer reports.

Security
ID Deadline For Transportation Workers May Not Be Met
     Transportation Security Administration chief Edmund (Kip) Hawley could not assure lawmakers that a congressional deadline to begin issuing U.S. port workers new secure identification cards will be met. His testimony to the Senate Commerce Committee increased concerns on Capitol Hill that delays and mismanagement continue to plague the program. The department also does not have an exact estimate for how many port employees will have to get the so-called transportation worker identification credential, or TWIC. Under a major maritime security bill signed into law last year, TSA must begin enrolling workers in the TWIC program at the 10 highest risk ports by July 1. "As of today, we do not have even the most basic deployment schedule," complained committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii. Hawley responded that if the choice is between meeting the deadline or ensuring the program works properly, the Bush administration will choose the latter.

Campaigns
California's Primary May Be Golden To Tech Sector
     California's technology corridor traditionally has been a place where presidential hopefuls raise money. In the 2008 campaign cycle, the tech industry hopes the earlier California primary will mean that more candidates come with open ears, not just open hands. "It certainly is going to bring the presidential candidates out to California more to harness interest in the campaign and also harness money," said Robert Hoffman of Oracle. "It gives us a chance to discuss our issues because we'll see them more." A new California law will move the primary from its typical slot in June up to Feb 5, 2008. Competitiveness is one of the key tech issues. John Palafoutas of the tech group AeA said that means engaging presidential candidates about more funding for basic research, better mathematics and science education, a permanent research and development tax credit, and visas for highly skilled workers.

Environment
Gov. Schwarzenegger Promotes Cleaner, Greener Tech
     California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said cleaner "green" technologies and biotech are the "next wave of California's economy." In a speech at Georgetown University, Schwarzenegger emphasized that capitalism, viewed by some as an impediment to protecting natural resources, is breathing new life into the environmental movement. "We can do both: We can protect the environment and the economy, and we have proved that in California," he said. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, said California is moving ahead to promote clean technologies and reduce emissions from cars and manufacturers. To those who ignore the need to protect the environment, he had this message: "You will become a political penguin on a smaller and smaller ice flow that is drifting out to sea. Goodbye, my little friend."