May 27, 2011 Government over-regulation, export controls and maintaining the military and aerospace sectors’ use of U.S. electronic interconnect manufacturing capacity are just some of the key issues that will be addressed at the IPC Summit on American Competitiveness and Capitol Hill Day, June 15-16, 2011, in Washington, D.C. Electronics manufacturers will hear from Washington insiders such as former U.S. Representative David McIntosh, a leader in efforts to address government over-regulation, as well as industry leaders on critical issues that directly impact the U.S. electronics industry’s ability to compete globally.
Burdensome regulations issued by the U.S. EPA, OSHA and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are impeding electronics companies' competitiveness by imposing costly and unnecessary regulatory burdens. Rep. McIntosh will discuss how Congress can address government over-regulation to make businesses more competitive. This past January, McIntosh testified before the House Judiciary Committee on the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011 (H.R. 10/S. 299), known as the REINS Act. This bill would assist in reining in government over-regulation. In March 2011, he addressed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce regarding its “Restoring Balance to the Regulatory Process” program.
Other regulatory briefings will include presentations on the impact of the conflict minerals regulation and export control regulations. Ben Cohen, chief counsel of Litigation and Washington D.C. Operations for The Boeing Company, will discuss the complexities of implementing Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Although the SEC is still working on finalizing the regulation on the trade of conflict minerals, the industry is preparing for compliance by beginning to develop supply chain due diligence and reporting mechanisms. All U.S. industry segments, from automotive to electronics, will be impacted by the regulation’s requirements.
Attendees will also hear from an expert industry representative on how the U.S. government’s reform of the export control system will affect U.S. electronics manufacturers’ global competitiveness. The reform process is ongoing but should be finalized by the end of the year. It is critical for legislators to understand the importance of protecting the information contained in printed board assemblies that are specifically designed for items listed in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Printed boards and assemblies can provide critical information about the larger system of which they are a part. Failure to properly safeguard the information designed into printed boards of ITAR-listed items could result in a breach of national security.
Participants will be able to immediately take action to address these issues by visiting their legislators in meetings set up by IPC staff. These face-to-face meetings enable participants to establish valuable relationships with their representatives, educate them on the issues that directly impact the U.S. electronics industry’s ability to compete globally and gain their support.
As a part of the two-day event, exclusive activities with members of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) will offer opportunities to hear from and network with members of Congress and senior-level administration officials. William Daley, White House Chief of Staff, has been invited to speak at the luncheon on June 16.
For more information or to register for IPC Capitol Hill Day, visit www.ipc.org/CHD. Due to scheduling deadlines for special luncheon and reception events held in conjunction with NAM, IPC cannot accept registrations after June 9, 2011.
IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,900 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $1.85 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore, India; and Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, China.
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