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U.S. HOUSE PASSES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
DR-CAFTA WILL IMPROVE U.S. ACCESS TO LATIN AMERICAN MARKETS
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In this issue of the FINFlash Update...
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LEAD STORY: PRESIDENT SIGNS DR-CAFTA INTO LAW
On July 28, the U.S. House voted by a 217-215 margin to approve the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). The Senate approved the agreement on June 30 by a 54-45 vote. DR-CAFTA provides U.S. companies with greater access to Latin American markets by reducing or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers. The agreement also includes intellectual property protection provisions, which will help protect U.S. technology companies against software piracy. Thank you to all FIN members who contacted their legislators about this issue.
Read more...
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticleSearch.aspx?storyID=149037+28-Jul-2005+RTRS&srch=CAFTA
Write Your Elected Officials
It’s important to let elected officials know your views about their votes. We encourage FIN members to email their legislators about DR-CAFTA. It takes just a few minutes to write when you visit http://www.freetoinnovate.com
POLICY NEWS: EUROPEAN UNION FAILS TO ESTABLISH UNIFORM PATENT LAW
On July 6, the European Parliament voted against creating a common patent system for all members of the European Union. Technology companies can still protect their inventions in Europe via patent, but they must work with different laws in each country. In the U.S., Congress is also considering modernizing our nation’s patent system to better serve inventors in the digital age. Expect to hear more from the FIN on this issue.
Read more...
http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/headlines/news/article_05_07_20_en.html
LEGAL NEWS: SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST FILE-SHARING SERVICES
At the end of its session, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that file-sharing technology companies Grokster and StreamCast could be held liable for promoting the use of their technology to infringe on copyright protections. The ruling, however, focuses on the companies’ behavior, not on peer-to-peer technology itself. Some observers expect Congress to legislate on this issue in the future.
Read the Testimony...
http://news.com.com/Supreme+Court+rules+against+file+swapping/2100-1030_3-5764135.html
CYBERSECURITY NEWS: HIGH-LEVEL POSITION ELEVATES ATTENTION TO IT SECURITY
In a reorganization of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Michael Chertoff announced the creation of the new position of assistant secretary of cyber and telecommunications security. While the position has not yet been filled, the new so-called ‘Cybersecurity Czar’ will work closely with the private sector and have increased authority to coordinate nationwide IT security.
Read more...
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121818,00.asp
PLEASE TAKE THE FIN SURVEY!
We want to hear from FIN members. Our short online survey will help us learn which policy issues matter most to you. It takes just a few minutes to complete. Just visit http://www.freetoinnovate.com/survey/default.asp?finid=MSFINGEN/
TECH TIP: HELP SENIORS BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
While more and more Americans are enjoying Internet access, many seniors are being left behind. But it’s never too late to learn. Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential initiative has provided funding to many Community-Based Technology and Learning Centers, where seniors can learn about computers and how to use the Internet. Help a senior you know go digital by looking for a learning center or community class in your area. CyberSeniors.org is a good place to start for some computer basics and info on learning centers in several states.
Go to CyberSeniors.org
http://www.cyberseniors.org
Need help writing your legislator? You can find tips for communicating with legislators, along with news, tech policy information and more, at the Freedom to Innovate Network Web site: www.microsoft.com/freedomtoinnovate/
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Write us with your tips, trivia and FIN Pulse suggestions at: msfin@microsoft.com
And remember, it’s never too late to write your legislators to let them know what issues are important to you. To identify and email your legislators, visit: www.freetoinnovate.com
To view Microsoft's privacy policy, please go to: http://www.microsoft.com/info/privacy.mspx
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