Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today praised the creation of the bipartisan Information Technology (IT) Modernization Caucus.
“For the government to effectively serve its people, it must fully embrace cutting-edge technology and data services,” said U.S. Chamber Technology Engagement Center Vice President Jordan Crenshaw. “We applaud Representatives Darrell Issa and Gerry Connolly for their leadership in creating and co-chairing the IT Modernization Caucus, and we look forward to working with them to improve government on behalf of all Americans.”
For decades, public sector IT infrastructure has woefully lagged the private sector — a stark divide highlighted by the pandemic as government systems proved inadequate to meet the needs of citizens. The IT Modernization Caucus will educate lawmakers, their staff, and the public about the ongoing issues surrounding IT modernization and provide recommendations for how the government can digitally transform to better serve the American public.
“During the recent FCC confirmation hearing, we learned that agency technology is not ready to begin broadband mapping, which is critical to bridging the digital divide,” Crenshaw added, “Fortunately, the private sector already has the necessary solutions and stands ready to help Congress and the administration bring our government systems into the 21st century.”
Earlier this year, the U.S. Chamber led a coalition letter, which was signed by 197 state and local chambers of commerce, calling on Congress to enhance America’s digital infrastructure to connect all Americans. The Chamber also launched a Digital Transformation Working Group to identify hurdles to modernizing IT systems and to advocate for a federal solution through legislation and agency collaboration.
