Business View - November 2014 125
affirms what we’re hearing from states, businesses
and families that will be forced to comply. The EPA
should heed these concerns and abandon its current
approach, which will bring negative consequences for
our entire economy with very little environmental ben-
efit in return.”
The data comes on the heels of an economic analy-
sis released by NERA Economic Consulting, which
found that compliance with
the EPA’s plan to regulate
emissions from existing
power plants would cost
more than $366 billion and
would drive electricity rates
upward by double digits in
43 states.
The EPA will continue to re-
ceive public comments re-
garding the proposed regu-
lation through December
The Partnership for a Better Energy Future, along with
its 175 members, including the U.S. Chamber of Com-
merce, National Association of Manufacturers, Ameri-
can Farm Bureau Federation and National Mining
Association, will continue to educate the public nation-
ally and in key states through the close of the com-
ment period and beyond as the issuance of a final rule
approaches.
Property Rights
U.S. policy should reflect the vital
importance of IP rights for U.S.
competitiveness. The protection of IP
rights secures manufacturers’ ideas and
inventions and drives future innovation and
directed R&D. By adopting policies that
safeguard IP rights, policymakers can create
a business climate in which innovators can
thrive, creating jobs and building industries
around their ideas. A strong IP regime also
promotes trade by as uring innovators
that their ideas and inventions will be
protected. Increase national awareness of
the inseparable link between the protection
of IP rights and innovation, improved trade
performance, sound economic growth and
strengthened national security.
• Support a coordinated policy that
strengthens the protection of IP rights
afforded by both domestic laws and
• Ensure that the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office has sufficient
resources and staff to process patent
nd trademark applications efficiently.
• Support policies that continue to
eliminate unnecessary costs, complexity
and uncertainty in the U.S. patent
system.
• Protect the health, safety and welfare
of American consumers by recognizing
the harmful effe t f counterfeit and
pirated products on the public and on
our economy; combat international
counterfeiting and piracy by ensuring
robust enforcement of IP rules.
• Educate developing nations about the
importance of enforcing IP rules.
• Reduce costs and increase efficiencies
in establishing global IP protections in all
Cybersecurity
The maintenance and protection of our
nation’s cyber-infrastructure is critical to
manufacturers, as Internet-based threats
can disrupt commerce and communication
and pose a threat to our national security.
Strengthening cybersecurity requires
increased collabor tion and coordination
between government agencies and the
private sector—industry-driven best
practices can help guide efforts to formulate
broader cybersecurity policy.
• Facilitate information sharing between the
private and public sectors without creating
an unnecessary regulatory burden.
• Support efforts to secure government
networks, increase the penalties for
cybercrime and prioritize cybersecurity
research using existing government
funding.
Did you know:
The R&D credit is a jobs credit.
Seventy percent of credit dollars are used for salaries
of high-skilled R&D workers. Some 162,000 new jobs
would be created if the credit was strengthened—and
even more if it was made permanent.
ISSUE FOCUS..........................................
MANUFACTURING
