April 3, 2012
Harkin Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators in Urging FTC to Reduce Information Technology Theft
Senator Harkin, a member of the Senate Small Business Committee, joined a bipartisan group of 16 Senators in sending a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In the letter, the lawmakers urged commissioners to promote American manufacturing competitiveness by working with the state Attorneys General to fight the growing problem of theft and use of stolen information technology (IT) and intellectual property (IP) by foreign manufacturers.
“As members of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, we are keenly aware of the vital role the manufacturing industry plays in our country’s economy – particularly small manufacturers,” wrote the lawmakers. “A remarkable 98 percent of America’s manufacturing firms are small businesses. Furthermore, more than one in three Americans who work in manufacturing, work at a small business. With small firms representing such a significant part of the manufacturing sector, it is important that we provide them with the tools to be competitive in the global market…To that end, the NAAG request would be a significant step in protecting the resources on which U.S. manufacturing depends to develop and grow their businesses and the jobs that come with it.”
To view the full letter, please click here.