Building Careers and Shaping Public Policy

19 December 2005


The Honorable Daniel Akaka
United States Senate
141 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Akaka:

On behalf of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-United States of America (IEEE-USA), I would like to applaud Senators John Ensign and Joseph Lieberman for introducing the National Innovation Act of 2005 (S. 2109), which represents an important first step toward preserving and enhancing U.S. innovation and competitiveness. IEEE-USA believes that this bill will help sustain U.S. technological leadership and encourage the development of the skilled, creative and competitive workforce critical for U.S prosperity.

There is little doubt that America's leadership in science and technology is facing significant challenges in an increasingly global economy. IEEE-USA concurs with the National Innovation Initiative (NII) assessment in the "Innovate America: Thriving in a World of Challenge and Change!" report that, "Today, America finds itself at a unique and delicate historical juncture, shaped by two unprecedented shifts -- one in the nature of global competition, the other in the nature of innovation itself." To prepare itself for this inevitable tectonic shift, the NII report forewarned that, "America must champion and lead a new era of openness and competition -- fueled by agility and constant motion, and enabled by lifelong learning, technological prowess and the infinite creativity of the innovation process itself." Indeed, the report singles out innovation as the "single most important factor in determining America's success through the 21st century."

We are encouraged to see that Senators Ensign and Lieberman and other cosponsors of this legislation have heeded the warnings of the National Innovation Initiative and a multitude of other organizations, and have taken positive measures towards addressing these important issues. We urge Congress to deal with this legislation expeditiously in 2006.

Thank you again for your leadership on this important issue. For more information, please contact Bill Williams at (202) 530-8331 or at bill.williams@ieee.org.

Sincerely,

Gerard A. Alphonse
President, IEEE-USA

[Similar letter went to all U.S. Senators]