About the Author: Robert D. Hormats serves as Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs.

Today, I published the following op-ed on The Huffington Post with Richard L. Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO, and Deborah L. Wince-Smith, President and CEO of the Council on Competitiveness.

Tuesday, April 26, was World Intellectual Property Day. The theme of this year’s celebration — Designing the Future — emphasized the critical role that ideas play in the development of solutions to the challenges of the 21st century, such as combating climate change, enhancing agricultural productivity, and finding cures for medical ailments.

From California’s Silicon Valley to Texas’ Clean Energy Incubator to the Biotech Beltway around Washington, D.C., the United States is the world leader in innovative products and services. The continued… more »