Elizabeth Hyman Posts

A look at the week of March 7 in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, the House voted to repeal the 1099 requirement, but the Congressional debate is far from over.  The interim spending bill passed by Congress cuts Department of Homeland Security (DHS) network security programs by $20 million. The federal government is evaluating its cybersecurity staffing needs and potential plans for an increase in personnel.  1099 Repeal: Not Over Yet — Although the House joined the Senate in voting ...

A look at the week of February 28 in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, discussions over government funding led to a reconsideration of essential security personnel.  The House is scheduled to consider stand-alone 1099 legislation.  Funding for electronic medical records (EMRs) may be threatened in budget cuts. Looming Government Shutdown Redefines Essential Personnel — The threat of a government shutdown has forced cybersecurity experts to reevaluate which employe ...

Earlier this month, CompTIA President and CEO Todd Thibodeaux observed that there is a significant knowledge gap among legislators, their staff and administration officials about the composition of the IT industry, and how sizeable and important a role the IT solution provider plays in the larger tech ecosystem."If a company isn't making a tangible product, producing patents or IP, they aren't getting noticed by lawmakers and federal agencies," said Thibodeaux. "We at CompTIA have a duty to rais ...

A look at the week of February 21 in public advocacy for the IT channel The Senate-approved version of the 1099 tax provision repeal bill clashes with a version of the repeal approved by House Ways and Means Committee regarding how the government can pay for the repeal.  This week, the Senate’s cyber bill was updated with language explicitly prohibiting the President from shutting down the Internet.  The White House’s 2012 budget looks to update its IT systems in order to save money in the long ...

A look at the week of February 14 in public advocacy for the IT channelThis week, the House Ways and Means Committee will begin looking over the 1099 tax provision repeal bill passed in the Senate.  Republican plans for a cybersecurity bill may contrast with efforts in the Senate.  Federal IT contracts are expected to increase, despite budget cuts.House Ways and Means To Mark up 1099 Repeal—The House Ways and Means Committee will mark up a bill this week that would repeal the 1099 tax provision ...

A look at the week of February 7 in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, the Senate voted to repeal the 1099 provision from the healthcare bill.  After watching the Egyptian government dismantle Internet communications to stifle protestors, Senators are facing tough questions about the scope of proposed cybersecurity regulations.  Dr. David Blumenthal, the national health IT coordinator, will step down from his position.  Senate Moves Forward on 1099 Repeal — The ...

Some in our IT community may wonder what does the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Workforce Investment Boards (WIB) have to do with our businesses and bottom lines?  Here’s why they matter:There are 400,000 IT jobs that are presently unfilled.  This is due to skilled workers not getting directed to employers that need them and/or the possibility that there are too few skilled individuals to meet these jobs.  Aside from those out of work, there are also incumbent workers who need to update the ...

Following up on the State of the Union address last week which focused on innovation, competitiveness and “winning the future”, the White House yesterday announced the Startup America Initiative.  Its mission, through a public/private partnership, is to accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship across the nation.  Key components are: An SBA matching fund program that will commit $1 billion to an impact investment fund for growth companies located in underserved communities and $1 billion to an ear ...

A look at the week of January 31, 2011, in public advocacy for the IT channel Last week, technology played a key role in President Obama’s State of the Union address.  Senate Democrats reignited the debate over cybersecurity by introducing a cybersecurity placeholder bill.  The Senate bill repealing the 1099 tax provision in the healthcare law has reached a critical number of co-sponsors. Obama Plays Up Tech's Value in State of the Union —Technology heavily underpinned ...

A look at the week of January 24, 2011, in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, the House Ways and Means Committee will begin discussion on the controversial 1099 provision in the healthcare law.  CompTIA’s Business Confidence Index reports a promising outlook for the industry.  The Obama Administration’s cybersecurity efforts to date have received some criticism. Ways And Means To Discuss 1099 Tax Provision this Week — This week, the House Ways and Means ...