Yesterday, Washington small business owner, Steve Douge, participated in a trade panel on Capitol Hill. The event, hosted by the Internet Association, was entitled “The Internet & Global Trade”. In attendance were Congressional staffers, industry representatives and small business trade advocates. The goal of the event was to highlight the opportunities the Internet has created for U.S. small businesses to participate in the global marketplace.
The Code Cadets
Recently eBay Inc. hosted a visit by The Code Cadets, a group of Australian students at Canberra Grammar School who have a passion and deep interest in computer science and information technology. The visit was part of a 2 week tour visiting high tech companies in Silicon Valley.
Yesterday, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman testified before the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways & Means Committee on the 2015 U.S. trade policy agenda. Both Congressional Committees have jurisdiction on the issue of trade and as trade negotiations heat up in the new Congress, Congress and the Administration will be discussing the future of our nation’s trade policy.
Last week, the House and Senate Commerce Committees convened hearings to discuss the Open Internet or network neutrality hearings. Draft legislation has been circulated in both Chambers to address concerns that some Members of Congress have with the FCC’s proceedings. During the hearing, open Internet supporters told committee members that they are concerned the draft legislation would block the FCC’s ability to protect consumers’ access to an open Internet. Several witnesses pointed out that although the bill offers fairly general open Internet principles t
Pictured (from left to right): eBay Inc.'s Luke Matiasevich & William Lasher, Rep. Kim Coleman, Sen. Daniel Thatcher, eBay Inc.'s Devin Whitney & Greg Fennewald
In a video released by the Internet Association, a D.C. based trade association that represents the leading Internet companies, eBay-enabled small business owner Steve Douge discusses the importance of tech-enabled trade and how it has transformed his hardware store in Washington state.
Last night, President Obama addressed the U.S. Congress and the nation in his 6th State of the Union Address. Although the President touched on a number of issues that are currently facing the nation and the world, President Obama discussed a few policy issues that are important to Internet-enabled small businesses, including cross border trade and the promotion of an open and free Internet.
See below for excerpts from the President’s speech: