Today, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton released her Initiative on Technology and Innovation, a document outlining the candidate’s tech policy agenda for her administration. Public Knowledge commends Secretary Clinton for her commitment to net neutrality, support of broadband and 5G deployment, pledge to expand the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program to broadband, and balanced copyright approach. Public Knowledge also remains encouraged by Secretary Clinton’s support of spectrum sharing and a federally funded “civic Internet-of-Things”.
The following can be attributed to Chris Lewis, Vice President of Government Affairs at Public Knowledge:
“Secretary Clinton’s tech policy agenda lays out a strong roadmap to supporting the values of access, openness and opportunity for consumers around the world while balancing the needs to promote competition and innovation for American industry. We look forward to these ideas being a part of the debates as more Americans realize that the tech policy decisions in Washington directly impact their career and education opportunities, personal privacy, and general quality of life.
“There are many important ideas here, but none are as important as her commitment to connecting all Americans to affordable, high-speed broadband. Without increased access, Americans in rural areas, low-income households, tribal lands, and other communities on the wrong side of the digital divide cannot connect to essential health, education, employment, and civic needs. We especially applaud the multi-part approach to ensuring access to broadband to all Americans. Great investment from the private sector has only gotten us part of the way there. Secretary Clinton’s commitment to the combination of federal funding, public-private partnerships at the local level, municipal-led deployment, and a new infrastructure bank can help bring broadband to communities that have been left behind. Also, her commitment to next generation wireless, including both licensed and unlicensed technology, is forward-thinking and will foster new innovation.
“Secretary Clinton’s tech agenda gives particular attention to ensuring the openness of technology and data so that all of global society can benefit. She continues the Obama administration’s support for strong net neutrality rules under Title II and opposes censorship online, in the style of the defeated Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA. At the same time she supports balanced copyright reforms including ensuring access to federally funded research, orphan work reform, and protecting intellectual property through policy making that includes all stakeholders. We are also very supportive of her call to reduce excessive patent litigation, as consumers and small businesses continue to be targeted by deceptive patent trolls.”
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.