There are many different standards in the U.S., so yes, there are challenges between states. As I mentioned, 100,000 different standards is what is talked about. Are people aware of it? Not at all. People just assume that things work, and they don't really have a sense for how much work goes on behind the scenes with standard-setting organizations.
I think there is little awareness. The first national strategy on standards ever in the history of the United States was in 2000. It was updated in 2005. It was a huge effort, with lots of different departments and agencies. Since then, technology has changed quite a bit. To think about how inefficient it is, just think about how many devices you have in your own house. They all plug into the wall, but they all have different chargers. Think of how expensive that is. Well, multiply that across the entire economy. When you don't have standardization, it's expensive.
Would there be openness to harmonizing with Canada? Yes, there would be, if people had any awareness at all, but I think that except for the people who write standards, people don't realize that there is a challenge. But there is one. I think there would be an openness to aligning. Americans really like Canada and trust Canada quite a bit.
In terms of a new administration, this really doesn't strike me as something that sits in the Oval Office. I think it's more that, if there were a champion in industry who wanted to raise awareness about the issue and bring people together, that would probably have more of a coalescing forceāor if Canada leads.
The thing about the United States is that the U.S. tends to be attention-challenged at times, focusing on lots of different things all the time. To the extent that Canada brings leadership, as it has done on Beyond the Border and regulatory cooperation, that leadership serves as a major catalyst. If Canada were to speak, the U.S. would listen, in my judgment, but I don't think there is general awareness otherwise.