CEA’s Innovation Movement Brings Small Business Message to Capitol Hill

Members Seek Spectrum Auctions, Trade Agreements, Regulatory Relief

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA)^® Innovation Movement and Small Business Council (SBC) today launch a new advocacy initiative, Saving Small Business, with visits to lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

“Small business is the bedrock of the American economy”

Eleven CEA companies will be meeting with their members of Congress to discuss issues that impact small businesses in the consumer electronics industry, including the need for broadband spectrum, the signing of free trade agreements and regulatory relief.

At each meeting, CEA SBC members will provide lawmakers and their staff with educational information in the form of an interactive video brochure – the first ever developed for policymakers – titled “America is Ready for a Comeback”. The brochure contains information regarding CEA’s Innovation Movement public policy agenda.

“Small business is the bedrock of the American economy,” said Michael Petricone, senior vice president, government affairs, CEA. “Every day, these companies run a gauntlet of new laws, new regulations and new costs that can put them out of business. Instead of imposing additional burdens, policymakers should be creating small businesses to invest, expand and create additional jobs.”

Online, CEA’s Innovation Movement will be hosting a Virtual Lobby Day for its 114,000-plus members to encourage them to act on one key issue affecting small businesses: incentive spectrum auctions. CEA Innovation Movement members will be called to ask their congressional representatives to authorize the FCC to move forward with “incentive auctions,” which would provide broadcasters the ability to repurpose their frequencies through a spectrum auction in exchange for proceeds from auction revenues. Broadcasters could participate on a voluntary basis and purchasers could redeploy the spectrum for wireless broadband that could generate $33 billion for the U.S. Treasury and would allow endless opportunities for innovation in small business.

For more information on Saving Small Business and CEA’s Innovation Movement, visit innovation-movement.com.

About CEA:

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at CE.org and Innovation-Movement.com.

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