Today, Public Knowledge's Director of The Global Knowledge Initiative and Staff Attorney, Rashmi Rangnath is testifying before the US Trade Representative on the “Special 301” process. You can read her testimony here (PDF). There is not a webcast or official live coverage, per USTR rules that “prohibit the use of electronic media in its hearing room.” So, despite this ban, we are relying on reports from the hearing room via twitter (using the #ustr hashtag), and hope to bring you more coverage as well.
If you're not familiar with the Special 301 process, the latest 5 Minutes with Harold Feld does a great job explaining what's going on. So does Rashmi's prior blog post — that encouraged so many of you to write comments to the USTR.
Lastly, we have a link to today's hearing schedule, that tells us who is testifying and who the Special 301 committee members are (PDF) … also pasted below:
SPECIAL 301 REVIEW PUBLIC HEARING March 3, 2010 – 9:45 a.m. United States International Trade Commission 500 E St. S.W. Washington, D.C. 20436 HEARING SCHEDULE 9:45 – 10:00 – OPENING REMARKS 10:00 – 10:10 – Government of Mexico Salvador Behar Legal Counsel for International Trade 10:10–10:20 – Government of Costa Rica Suzana Vasquez Ministry of Foreign Trade 10:20–10:30 – Government of Thailand Chakarin Komolsiri and Jittima Srithaporn Office of Commercial Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy 10:30–10:40 – Biotechnology Industry Organization Lila Feisee 10:40–10:50 – National Association of Manufacturers Shaun Donnelly 10:50 – 11:00 – Public Knowledge Rashmi Rangnath 11:00 – 11:10 – International Intellectual Property Alliance Eric Smith 11:10 – 11:20 – BREAK 11:20 – 11:30 – Doctors Without Borders Emi Maclean 11:30 – 11:40 – Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Brian Toohey 11:40 – 11:50 – MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Michael Mellis 11:50 – 12:00 – Oxfam America Rohit Malpani 12:00 – 12:10 – Knowledge Ecology International James Love 12:10 – 12:20 – Computer & Communications Industry Association Matthew Schruers 12:30 – 1:30 – LUNCH 1:30 – 1:40 – Maine Citizen Trade Advisory Commission Sharon Treat 1:40 – 1:50 – AIDS Access Foundation Jon Ungphakorn 1:50 – 2:00 – Forum on Democracy & Trade Sean Flynn 2:00 – 2:10 – National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices (NLARx) Sharon Treat 2:10 – 2:20 – Vermont Commission on International Trade and State Sovereignty Robin Lunge 2:20 – 2:30 – BREAK 2:30 – 2:40 – American University Washington College of Law Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property on behalf of the AdHoc Civil Society Coalition on Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines Sean Flynn 2:40 – 2:50 – Universities Allied for Essential Medicines Benjamin Stern 2:50 – 3:00 – Health GAP (Global Access Project) Asia Russell 3:00 – 3:10 – Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property Michael Palmedo 3:10 – 3:20 – Public Citizen Peter Maybarduy 3:20 – 3:30 – Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit Anand Grover 3:30 – 3:40 – Social Science Research Council Joe Karaganis 3:30 – CLOSING REMARKS POST HEARING COMMENTS Post hearing briefs are optional and may be submitted until March 10, 2010, at 5 p.m. Post hearing briefs, comments, or questions should be sent electronically via http://www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2010-0003. Submissions should contain the term “2010 Special 301 Review” in the “Type comment & Upload” field on www.regulations.gov. SPECIAL 301 SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS Paula Pinha (Chair) Director for Intellectual Property and Innovation Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Andrea Cornwell Office of Intellectual Property Rights U.S. Department of Commerce Timothy McGowan Economic Officer Office of Intellectual Property Enforcement State Department Stuart Chemtob Special Counsel for International Trade Antitrust Division U.S. Department of Justice JoEllen Urban Office of International Relations U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Timothy Mills International Economist Department of the Treasury Maureen M. Pettis International Economist Bureau of International Labor Affairs Office of Trade and Labor Affairs U.S. Department of Labor Amanda Wilson Counsel for Policy and International Affairs U.S. Copyright Office Therese Randazzo Director, IPR Policy and Programs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Omar Karawa U.S. Department of Agriculture The Special 301 Hearing is open to the public. Please bring picture ID and allow 20 minutes for security processing. Members of the press are welcome to attend, but please note that United States International Trade Commission regulations prohibit the use of electronic media in its hearing room.