Congressman Ivey Visits Tech Summit, Hosts Secretary of Education
U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D- Maryland) was the keynote speaker during the Council for Innovation Promotion roundtable at the University of Maryland.
Hosted at the IDEA Factory, the conference was to promote intellectual property (IP) rights, such as copyrights and patents. President and CEO of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation David Iannucci and David Kappos, former director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office and co-chair of the C4IP, were also speakers at the conference.
“A strong intellectual property framework encourages continuous innovation by rewarding companies for their efforts, which promotes technological advancements and economic growth. IP rights, such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights, safeguard a corporation’s innovative ideas, inventions, and products from being copied or exploited by competitors,” Ivey said.
“This protection encourages companies to invest in research and development, knowing their efforts will be safeguarded,” he added. “Bringing together world-class research universities like the University of Maryland and forward-looking companies ensures intellectual property rights play a critical role in encouraging technological innovation, protecting corporate investments, and fostering a competitive and thriving technology sector right here in Prince George’s County, Maryland.”
Ivey was joined by some special guests at Crossland High School to discuss career pathways and apprenticeship programs. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Maryland Secretary of Labor Portia Wu joined the Congressman, where the county’s existing CTE (career and technical education) programs were praised.
Cardona met with students who recently built and sold a home in Brandywine for $600,000, a record price for a student-constructed home.
“I see people who are struggling with college debt and not making what they thought they were going to be making,” said Cardona. “And I see a lot of folks who follow their passion and CTE to continue with their skills and maybe get a two-year degree, or a four-year degree and do really, really well. We’re shortchanging our kids in America if we don’t give them options.”