emerging technology

House Republican McMorris Rogers Gets Democrats Aboard 9 Tech Policy Priorities

October 2, 2020
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Countering the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on technology requires a two-part strategy: measures to restrict technology to and from the PRC, and equally important, measures to promote US enterprise and invention in the face of Chinese technological threats. Congress has taken important steps to restrict Huawei, control the export of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and protect Americans’ privacy and security from apps like TikTok. Leaders like Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers are driving the other part of the equation, launching an American leadership strategy to beat China through technology and competitiveness with 15 bills, 9 with bipartisan support.

This week together with Bobby Rush (D-IL), Darren Soto (D-FL), and Mike Kelly (D-PA), McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) introduced the bipartisan American Competitiveness on More Productive Emerging Tech Economy (COMPETE) Act (H.R. 8132) to ensure American leadership in next-generation technologies. In her remarks on the need to advance artificial intelligence, quantum computing, blockchain, and autonomous vehicles, McMorris Rogers thanked Energy & Commerce Chair Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) and Chair of the Subcommittee Consumer Protection Chair Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).  The 15 proposals are categorized as Advancing and Securing Emerging Technologies, Global Data Innovation and Security, Advancing Innovation Across the Country, and Combating Harms Through Innovation. The American COMPETE Act is a package of legislation made up of provisions from nine previous introduced bills including: 

  • H.R. 6950 the Generating Artificial Intelligence Network Security (GAINS) Act (Rep. McMorris Rodgers)
  • H.R. 2644 the SMART IoT Act (Rep. Latta)
  • H.R. 6943 the Advancing Unmanned Delivery Services Act (Rep. Latta)
  • H.R. 6919 the Advancing Quantum Computing Act (Rep. Griffith)
  • H.R. 6939 the Advancing IoT Manufacturing Act (Rep. Hudson)
  • H.R. 6928 the Advancing 3D Printing Act (Rep. Burgess)
  • H.R. 6926 the Advancing New and Advanced Materials Act (Rep. Bucshon)
  • H.R. 6938 the Advancing Blockchain Act (Rep. Guthrie)
  • H.R. 6937 the Countering Online Harms Act (Rep. Guthrie)

Cathy McMorris Rogers grew up working in her family’s fruit farm in Kettle Falls near the Columbia River in Washington’s 5th District, which encompasses the state’s entire Eastern border and Spokane, the second largest city in the state. Her election in 2004 made her the 200th woman to be elected to Congress, and she is the first to give birth thrice while in office. She has Chaired the House Republican Conference for many years and was catapult to the national stage with her speech following the 2014 State of the Union. McMorris Rogers is considered a leading contender for the Republican lead of the House Energy & Commerce Committee with the coming retirement of Greg Walden (R-OR).

“Now more than ever, we must create policies that ensure America beats China over the next decade and beyond by fostering innovation, securing supply chains, and protecting consumers. These pillars of our legislative agenda unleash free-market ingenuity to spur American leadership and economic growth in the next generation of technology that will define our future,” McMorris Rodgers said.

An earlier story featured another leading Washington Congresswoman, Democrat Suzan Del Bene, also active on tech and China policy.

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