legislation

What to do about e-waste

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:42:40 -0400

When your computer gets old and you get a new one, chances are you probably never think about where the old one gets dumped. But the issue of old computers and what to do about them is rapidly becoming an environmental debate. Until now, many old systems were just sent to other countries as waste if they could not be recycled. Now Congress is looking to limit exporting old computers overseas.

The problem is growing bigger, according to John Stephenson, a GAO official who testified September 17 before Congress on the issue. He said the EPA's e-waste regulations cover only old cathode ray tube televisions and monitors. And EPA rules on discarding old computers are poorly enforced. There are rules in 17 states banning the use of landfills for computers that contain hazardous material.

"The U.S. fails to hold manufacturers responsible for the end-of-life management of their products that contain toxic materials," said Rep. Diane Watson, D-CA. There is no easy answer, according to Stephenson. "No one knows what to do with these," he said. "I have three used computers in my basement and now I'm afraid to give them to a recycler."

As the tech executive at your company, are you perplexed, too? Do you have a dozen old computers in your storeroom with nowhere to go? Send us your ideas for how to effectively recycle or throw them away without making toxic waste even a bigger hazard.

For more on the problems of discarding old computers:
- see this cnet.com article

Farm workers vs IT workers on H-1B visas

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:59:59 -0400

Legislation to make it easier for foreign high tech workers to stay in the U.S. ran into a bit of a buzz saw last week from one lawmaker who wants the same kind of equity for immigrants further down the economic scale.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) told a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing that the high tech companies should get "the innovators they need,'' but added that farm workers are "just as critical and relevant to the innovation of that industry." He urged the panel to take a "holistic approach" to immigration so that the most vulnerable "are not stigmatized by actions of the Congress."

His concerns reflect one of many elements involved in the contentious effort to reform the nation's immigration system, and why the push to separately raise caps on H-1B visas and green cards faces such a difficult time in Congress.

For more on the ongoing immigration debate:
- see this Computerworld.com article

FTC wants new powers to fight spyware

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:59:59 -0400

The Federal Trade Commission this week told the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation that it favors legislation granting it new powers to seek civil penalties in spyware cases.

The federal agency said it wants authority to assess monetary penalties when other enforcement options--such as seeking consumer redress, or making the operators give up their ill-gotten gains--are not appropriate, or are insufficient to deter spyware distributors. A stiff civil penalty, said the FTC, may serve as a strong deterrent.

To read more:
- see the agency's testimony

H-1B abuse pays off

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:59:59 -0400

American IT professionals often complain that they are being undercut by the H1-B Visa system when companies hire foreign workers at lower salaries even when qualified, tech-savvy U.S. citizens are available. If you need evidence that this practice is taking place, you need look no further than the Justice Department's settlement with iGate Mastech. The government charged the Pittsburgh-based computer consulting company with placing 30 job announcements between May and June of 2006 for computer programmers that expressly favored H-1B visa holders while excluding U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and other legal U.S. workers. It appears that gaming the system may have been worth it to the company, which paid only $45,000 in civil penalties to settle allegations that it discriminated against U.S. citizens.

To read more about abuse of the system:
- See this ComputerWorld article

Congress may review Microsoft/Yahoo deal

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:59:59 -0500

It's been hard enough for Microsoft to convince Yahoo to accept its proposed $44.6 billion bid. But it might be even tougher to persuade Congress that the deal won't violate antitrust laws. Members of Congress have already indicated that the takeover, if it gets approved by Yahoo, will face scrutiny under the congressional microscope. "I'm pretty confident it will end up before the House Judiciary Committee," said California Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. Senator Herb Kohl, chairman of a Senate antitrust panel, has said that his subcommittee expects to hold hearings on the implications of the deal, should Yahoo accept Microsoft's offer.

And that's not all. Privacy groups are getting ready for a fight too. They are likely to ask the Justice Department or the Federal Trade Commission to block the deal or demand privacy-related concessions. Yahoo has not yet said "Yes" to its suitor, and there are plenty of rumblings that it could head off in a different direction. So stay tuned. Just because Microsoft wants to hand over a massive sum of money, it doesn't mean a deal will be signed, sealed and delivered any time soon.

For more on the Microsoft/Yahoo obstacles:
- See this CNET article
- also see this CNET article
- and check out this BBC article

Breaking: Deal reached on economic stimulus plan

Judi Hasson — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:19:32 -0500

Moving with remarkable speed, the White House and House leaders reached an agreement today for an economic stimulus package that provides tax incentives for businesses and stipends for families to encourage spending. The tentative deal calls for roughly $150 billion to shore up a weak economy. It would give businesses one-time incentives to invest in new equipment and write off tax losses. It would give rebates of $300 to $1,200 per family. The Senate still must agree to the plan. Democratic leaders promised to move the stimulus package with warp speed, bypassing the usual committee process which has been known to slow down important legislation by months. Lawmakers want the plan approved in mid-February. They said it would be strong enough to soften an economic downturn and avoid a recession.

For more on the economic stimulus deal:

- Check out this Washington Post article

Shhh... keep it private

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:59:58 -0500

Every CIO knows about privacy and the importance of keeping data private. Now even Congress is looking for a way to develop e-health records and make sure they are protected. It's not a moment too soon. Legislation moving through Congress would require increasing use of information technology for health records. It would cut costs. It would be a good way to make sure documents don't get lost. And it would make it possible to send documents electronically for different medical advice. The problem, according to one top privacy expert, is that the legislation must include privacy language to protect people from getting their data stolen. Sen. Patrick Leahy is working on an amendment to require companies to notify people if the material has been stolen. This is an issue that CIOs know plenty about. But it also may be an issue that requires ironclad protection because notifying a person after information is stolen is a bit late.

For more about privacy and healthcare records:
- Read this CIO Magazine article

The road to an Internet tax ban

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:59:59 -0400

Congress is moving closer to extending a ban on Internet taxes, a law that expires on Nov. 1st. Recently, the Senate joined the House in passed a moratorium. However, there are differences in the two pieces of legislation that will have to be reconciled. The Senate version calls for a seven-year ban while the House wants a four-year ban. These differences will have to be resolved before the legislation is sent to President Bush for his signature. But it is a step forward for lawmakers to protect the Internet at the time when local and state governments are looking to it as a new source of tax revenues for their coffers. Supporters said the ban would help encourage the growth of broadband and help fuel the U.S. economy. But opponents said that the ban could give taxing authorities the idea of looking at instant messaging and text messaging for new taxes.

For more on stopping Internet taxes:
- read this CIO magazine article

Lawyers are a fact of life for CIOs

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 19:01:38 -0500

The recent rash of legislation governing data retention, electronic discovery, privacy, data use and abuse has created a goldmine for lawyers well-versed in IT issues. More than ever before, CIOs must interact with attorneys just to protect themselves and their companies. It's not always a pleasant experience, but it's a fact of corporate life today. There are ways to reduce your exposure to lawyers, though. One option is to outsource the management of data and compliance to an outside service provider and another is to cue up new types of software to classify data at creation, apply policies to it and to enforce it--all in one fell swoop. Yet another is to employ an internal search technology to help companies locate difficult-to-find data.

Learn more about how to avoid lawyers:
- read the column at ComputerWorld

It's not easy being green

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 19:01:39 -0500

After years of earth-friendly talk, Corporate America is finally jumping on the bandwagon, trying to buy and use technology in a more environmentally friendly manner. But it's not just out of the goodness of their hearts; a slew of environmental regulations and customers' demands for "green" products are fueling the fire. To cope with the changes, companies are doing what they can to find alternative supplies and are creating more environmentally sound business processes throughout the supply chain. And this issue isn't going away, so stay abreast of environmental legislation, understand how it can impact your business, learn about new materials and technologies that fit the bill and look for ways to increase use of recycled content or alternative materials.

Learn more about going green:
- read the article at Line56
- and this article at Business 2.0