THE INNOVATION INITIATIVE
The world is changing rapidly – largely due to innovative disruptions in the way we work, learn, and live. Unfortunately, the federal government has been unwilling to adapt to these changing times, creating a disconnect between how our nation’s democratic institutions operate and how the public actually lives day-to-day.
This is what led me to team up with Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry and other House Republicans to start the Innovation Initiative. Our goal is two-fold: To foster innovation to spur greater economic growth and to bring our government into the 21st Century.
We’ve been meeting with leaders of innovation in California and around the country. We’ve brought together entrepreneurs, issue experts, thought leaders and engineers to challenge each other and develop new ideas.
In this spirit, we hosted a policy event in the United States Capitol called The Forum – think of it as TED talks from elected officials and outside experts. It was a lively discussion on everything from reforming procurement, cloud-based budgeting analytics to the future of investment and our economy.
The Innovation Initiative aims to begin these important conversations, but it doesn’t end there. We want to turn these ideas into progress. I’m happy to report that three months into the Innovation Initiative, we’ve already passed 15 difference pieces of legislation based on these proposals.
They range from protecting the privacy of your emails to encouraging more investment from angel investors. We have protected innovation, by strengthening the legal tools available to stop the theft of trade secrets. And, we’ve brought a focus on data and metrics to the fight against the opioid abuse epidemic facing our country today.
This is just the beginning -- we have more planned, we will bring more ideas to the House floor in the months ahead. We remain focused on reshaping government to empower all individuals to lead freer lives, and usher in a new era of American innovation and prosperity.
