Tech makes push for issues beyond immigration

It has been the summer of the immigration push in Washington — but there are other tech issues seeing some traction even with H-1B visas and border security dominating the D.C. discussion. Patents, spectrum auctions, tax reform and trade issues remain high on the tech wish list — and company representatives and lobbyists say they have seen progress as things percolate on Capitol Hill.

“We have seen unprecedented congressional focus on patent litigation abuse,” said Gary Shapiro, president and chief executive of the Consumer Electronics Association. “We have worked closely with Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to keep spectrum auctions on track. We are encouraged by growing bipartisan pro-business consensus on tax reform.” And it’s clear that some in the industry are more focused on those issues — even as immigration is taking up most of the Washington bandwidth and creating hurdles for other pieces of legislation.