From Deseret News archives:

Hatch, Bennett both on high-tech task force

Aggressive agenda targets math study, spyware, lawsuits

Published: Thursday, March 10, 2005 9:27 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
WASHINGTON — Both senators from Utah have been named to a key, behind-the-scenes Republican policy-making arm, the Senate Republican High Tech Task Force, and both are promising that nothing less than the economic future of the nation hangs in the balance.

"We know that the future of our country depends on what this task force is doing," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

The task force's agenda was unveiled Wednesday at a press conference where Hatch and Bennett, the latter of whom was the first head of the group.

And it is an aggressive agenda, from getting more American children to study math and science to throwing up roadblocks to spyware, the insidious computer programs that monitor everything about your computer use.

One item on the agenda, reforms to class action lawsuits, has already been passed into law this year and has been signed by the president. Another, bankruptcy reforms, is well on its way to passage.

Supporters say the task force's broad agenda is about creating an economic and regulatory environment that reflects a 21st century technology environment.

Bennett compared the current "information revolution" to the "industrial revolution" that forever altered American culture. And he said the information revolution is happening 10 times as fast and that it is "confusing and it is challenging."

Story continues below
The challenge, he said, will be creating a legal and regulatory environment where innovation and creativity can flourish in this new environment.

The task force will propose legislation on a variety of specific issues, including a permanent moratorium on Internet taxation, an extension on research and development tax credits, an accelerated depreciation schedule for technology equipment and improvements to the federal government's information technology systems.

On a broader scale, the task force will propose reforms to medical liability and patent law, consider reforms to litigation that affects competitiveness, support efforts to protect U.S. agencies and industry from Internet attacks and expand telemedicine and medical databases.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Every paper leans. I like to read both statewide papers.

2A: South Summit shuts down Grand

yes S. Summit won, but it wasn't the shut out that many of you projected a...

TCU showdown has big implications

Whether Utah is the little brother or BYU occupies that position is actually...

What exactly were Nephite interpreters?

In (Abraham 1:15,16 and 2,8) God(Elohim)appears to to Abraham(BoM)and tells...

'Once it is in place (Healthcare bill) we are stuck. (sic) If this bill...

MIke Sharp has been cleared to play against Springville. Should be a good...

Don't even start on wrestling. We all know that Millard dominates everyone in...

Yes, there is special treamtment. I've never heard of someone getting a DUI...

Terry, I hope you feel better after spewing you Fox News and talk radio...

Studies on LDS mental health have shown higher rates of happiness, lower...

Advertisements
Advertisement