The Center for Public Policy Innovation Hosts its First Public Policy Forum on Restoring U.S. Competitiveness

Stakeholders Build Consensus on Key Policy Issues Vital to Job Creation in U.S.

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Center for Public Policy Innovation (CPPI), a local, nonprofit educational think tank hosted its first Public Policy Forum entitled "Restoring U.S. Competitiveness: Innovation & Entrepreneurship" on June 16th on Capitol Hill. During the forum, which was co-sponsored by the Digital Dialogue Forum (DDF) with support from Qualcomm Incorporated, a panel of leading industry, academic, and government stakeholders gathered to not only address but build strong consensus on key policy issues and programs that are vital to creating and sustaining jobs, fostering innovation, and strengthening the United States' competitive position within the global marketplace.

"America's economic future rests in its continued leadership in innovation," said Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO-2), co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, U.S. House of Representatives, who made remarks at today's forum. "Disturbingly, studies show that entrepreneurs are leaving our shores because many feel that the business climate overseas offers them better opportunities. We must accelerate American innovation by reducing barriers to entrepreneurship so we can create jobs here at home. Working together, Democrats and Republicans must foster an economic climate that will create the next generation of great American innovators."

The current marketplace is failing to produce the kinds of new American businesses that advance innovative technologies, create robust industries, spur economic growth, and create abundant and much needed jobs the way it has in the past.  Vigorous global competition and the recent economic downturn have taken a significant toll on U.S. competitiveness: although the United States currently ranks sixth in global innovation-based competitiveness, it ranks just 40th in rate of change over the last decade, based on a recent report, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm Revisited," published by the National Academies.  

"In just 25 years, Qualcomm has become the world leader in wireless technology and innovation has been at the heart of our achievements," said Peggy Johnson, executive vice president and president of global market development for Qualcomm.  "Federal government policies played a key role in the success of our inventions and are critical to enabling the next generation of U.S. innovation."

"Restoring U.S. competitiveness and innovation is surely one of the most important public policy challenges facing our nation today," CPPI President and CEO Chris Long said. "By organizing a series of important policy discussions that will regularly bring together strong leadership and collaboration within the public and private sectors, CPPI will shape the public debate on the policies and programs that are needed to make a measurable impact on American global competitiveness."

The panel, comprised of leading experts within private industry, government, and academia, included: John Backus, Founder and Managing Partner, New Atlantic Ventures; Brink Lindsey, Senior Scholar, Research and Policy, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; and Tom Weithman, Vice President and GAP Funds Managing Director at the Center for Innovative Technology.  Gautham Nagesh, a highly-regarded technology & telecommunications reporter for The Hill newspaper moderated the panel discussion.

Panelists addressed policy issues of vital national importance including the entrepreneurial spirit as a catalyst for job creation, tax and regulatory policy challenges faced by start-up companies, the creation and sustainment of high tech manufacturing  jobs in the United States, workforce issues including education and immigration, corporate tax reform, and the federal government's role in providing leadership to spur innovation.

Today's forum is the first in a series of public policy panel discussions that CPPI and DDF will hold over the course of the next year to spotlight key policy issues affecting the global competitiveness of American businesses.  The series will foster collaboration between government and industry to shape the public debate on the proper role of government in promoting innovation, and seek consensus to address these challenges in the future.

About the Center for Public Policy Innovation

The Center for Public Policy Innovation (CPPI) is a 501(c)(3) not for profit educational think tank. Its mission is to: assist government officials in addressing the many challenging policy issues brought on by the rapid advancement of IT; provide policymakers with thought leadership, informed analysis, and innovative strategies to help ensure American competitiveness in the global economy, and bring together diverse stakeholders from government, industry, academia and the civic sector in productive, collaborative, result-oriented platforms to narrow gaps in understanding and advance innovative public policy. For more information, visit CPPI at www.cppionline.org.

About the Digital Dialogue Forum

Founded in 1998, the Digital Dialogue Forum (DDF) is a non-partisan public policy coalition comprised of world-leading technology companies. Its mission is to enhance U.S. innovation and global competitiveness through high level dialogue between business and government leaders.  For more information, visit DDF at www.digitaldialogueforum.com.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm Incorporated is the world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of wireless communications, connecting people more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm at www.qualcomm.com.

SOURCE The Center for Public Policy Innovation