Microsoft said Monday it has hired Capitol Hill veteran Charles Salem as managing director of public policy. The former chief of staff to Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) will report to Fred Humphries, who heads Microsoft's operations.

      It's unclear what issues Salem will oversee, but Microsoft has been a vocal proponent of updated privacy laws for cloud computing. It's advocated for free trade policies and greater oversight of piracy. It also has been a visible critic of Google's dominance in search. Microsoft has funded a coalition opposed to Google's settlement with book authors and publishers that would give it first rights to digital books.

      In a release, Microsoft said Salem was Bayh’s principal adviser on public policy and communication issues.

      "During more than 10 years in the Senate, he worked with various members of Congress and their staffs on both sides of the aisle to advance Senator Bayh's legislative priorities, including tax reform, trade policy, the budget, energy and education," the Redmond, Wash. software giant company said.

      "Charlie's breadth of experience across federal and state government makes him ideal for this position,” Humphries said. "In addition, his deep knowledge of developing policy, advocating for it through the legislative process and working on implementation will be a great asset in our efforts to raise awareness of important technology issues in the new Congress."

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