International CES attract top government visitors

Top government officials from Washington, D.C., statehouses across America and capitols around the world will travel to Las Vegas to see and learn about the hottest technology in the world at the 2004 International CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology tradeshow, January 8-11 in Las Vegas, Nev. "Government officials recognize the International CES as the place to network with leading technology executives, learn about the latest trends in consumer technology and interact with the latest products that help enable the way we work, play, communicate and access information 24 hours a day," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the producers of the International CES. "It is an extreme honor to have distinguished members of the House and Senate and representatives from so many federal, state and international government bodies join us for this true celebration of technology."Several U.S. federal government officials including members of both the Senate and House of Representatives, along with key officials representing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Dept. of Commerce, plan to attend CES in January, including*:United States House of Representatives * Hon. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL)* Hon. Steve Buyer (R-IN)* Hon. John Doolittle (R-CA)* Hon. Gene Green (D-TX)* Hon. Jim Ramstad (R-MN)* Hon. Lee Terry (R-NE)Federal Communications Commission * Honorable Jonathan Adelstein, CommissionerFederal Trade Commission * Hon. Pamela Jones-Harbour, Commissioner* Hon. Orson Swindle, Commissioner* Hon. Mozelle W. Thompson, CommissionerUnited States Department of Commerce * Hon. Phillip J. Bond, Undersecretary for Commerce and Technology* Hon. Michael D. Gallagher, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator* Hon. James Edward Rogan, Undersecretary for Intellectual Property and Director of US Patent & Trademark OfficeOn Saturday, January 10, CES is placing a special emphasis on government leaders from abroad with the inaugural International Leaders in Technology Forum. The program brings together several senior government officials from around the world to discuss common technology issues, including broadband deployment, technology infrastructure and intellectual property. International dignitaries that plan to attend the 2004 International CES include:* Dr. Daeje Chin, Minister of Information and Communication (Korea)* Mr. Laurent Sorbier, Technical Counselor to the Prime Minister (France)* Mr. Matthias Kurth, President, Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Posts (Germany)January 10 also is "Green Saturday at CES." The day's activities, which include a conference session and a local recycling event, focus on the dynamics of electronics recycling and how the consumer electronics industry is working to protect our environment. The 2004 International CES, the largest in show history, houses more than 20 TechZones showcasing several policy-focused venues, including the Government IT Showcase, the Energy Efficiency and Electronics Recycling TechZone, the RWPPI TechZone, DVD-RAM Promotion TechZone and the DVD-RW Alliance TechZone.On Friday January 9, Gerard Kleisterlee, CEO of Philips Electronics, will deliver a keynote presentation to an exclusive gathering of government dignitaries during the Leaders in Technology dinner. This invitation-only dinner unites CEA's government guests with key industry executives.In addition, the 2004 International CES conference program features a number of sessions focusing on technology policy, including:* From Desktop to Doorstop: The Dynamics of Electronics Recycling* International Tech Policy and Its Impact on Your Global Sales* Advancing Energy Efficiency through Electronics* HDTV: A New Definition for Television* Broadband Reality Check* Demystifying Copy Protection for the Business ProfessionalThe 2004 International CES focuses on more than 20 product areas from more than 2,300 exhibitors spread throughout both the inside and outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Las Vegas Hilton and the Alexis Park Resort. For more news on CES before, during and after the show, visit www.CESweb.org, the interactive source for CES information.