2020 House elections: on Technology


Bernie Sanders: Facebook is anti-competitive, should be broken up

Two of the most ideologically opposed members of the Senate, Josh Hawley and Bernie Sanders, are arguing essentially the same thing: that Facebook should be broken up. By predatorily acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp, by integrating its original message board-like function and its photo sharing and chat acquisitions into its data mining and advertising operations, Facebook has met all the established definitions of anti-competitive behavior.
Source: The Week newsmagazine on 2020 CA-23 House race Dec 14, 2020

Bill Keating: Facial technology oversight to help combat racial biases

I am troubled to learn that current versions of most facial recognition technology has a fundamentally biased error rate against people of color. As we adopt new technology we must take the time to ensure that they are being used in a manner consistent with the protections provided to all U.S. citizens through our constitution and it is Congress's job to ensure that the large corporations creating this technology use it in a responsible manner.
Source: ScienceDebate.org on 2020 MA-9 House race Oct 9, 2020

Jason Crow: Government must fund science to be ready for the future

I helped secure increased funding for medical research at the NIH, gun violence research at the NIH and CDC, and renewable energy research at the Department of Energy. I have continually advocated for robust levels of federal funding for scientific research. I will continue to defend these programs and ensure that other federally funded scientific research is provided with adequate resources. The funding stream for the federal government's science mission must be drastically increased if we are to effectively lay the groundwork for the economy of the future. Science is at the core of nearly all the major challenges we will face in the coming decades.
Source: ScienceDebate.org on 2020 CO-6 House race Nov 1, 2020

Jim McGovern: Social media is a wonderful tool, but can also cause harm

Social media is a wonderful tool, but it can be used to spread dangerous information--by accident and by deliberate disinformation--that could threaten the lives of many Americans. It is important for the government to help direct the public to reliable and authoritative information sites, and to use our own social media to provide accurate and responsible information so the public is informed on how best to respond to the spread of COVID-19.
Source: ScienceDebate.org on 2020 MA-2 House race Oct 9, 2020

Jim McGovern: Government should not use facial recognition technology

Technology such as facial recognition should not be used in governance. AI has been shown to show algorithmic bias, especially in the cases of racial and ethnic minorities. There needs to be a greater amount of research done on this technology before we allow it into our daily lives. Without clear parameters and proper data handling and security, there are serious and potentially dangerous implications for Americans' privacy.
Source: ScienceDebate.org on 2020 MA-2 House race Nov 3, 2020

John Yarmuth: Fund NSF and NIH to fuel economic growth

Federal research and development investments have long helped our nation solve problems at home and abroad, and have fueled our economic growth for generations. I support the highest funding levels possible for federal programs like those administered by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health that increase regional economic opportunities, creating jobs in the short- and long term, and attract additional private investments to spur innovation.
Source: ScienceDebate.org on 2020 KY-2 House race Nov 3, 2020

Madison Cawthorn: Improving roads to connect rural residents a top priority

Q: What are your transportation spending priorities, and how will you allocate funding across different transportation modes in North Carolina?

A: Improving the quality of our roads is a high priority, mountain roads represent lifelines to the communities they connect and their maintenance must come first. We also must work with state and local governments to increase access to affordable transportation, especially in our inner cities.

Source: ScienceDebate.org on 2020 NC-11 House race Oct 9, 2020

Mike Quigley: Federal government must ensure funding for labs and research

Q: What, if any, new action should the federal government take to stimulate innovation and job creation in science, technology, and engineering in Illinois and beyond?

A: The federal government has the ability to be a massive driving force for scientific research and innovation. I've worked through my position on the House Appropriations Committee to ensure substantial and necessary funding levels for our national labs, like Argonne National Lab in Illinois, and basic science and research programs at the Department of Energy, EPA, NASA, NOAA, and other federal agencies that have a role in research and development.

Source: ScienceDebate.org on 2020 IL-5 House race Oct 9, 2020

Nancy Mace: Rebuild infrastructure without burdensome regulations

It's time to fix our crumbling roads and bridges. I am running for U.S. Congress because it's time to stop rebuilding the world and start rebuilding America. It's time for a long-term plan that looks out for taxpayers AND fixes our roads! All too often the federal government stands in the way of innovation and problem-solving at the state and local level. I would work to do away with barriers faced by state and local governments to access critical funding for programs that work.
Source: 2020 SC-1 House campaign website NancyMace.org Jul 27, 2020

Steve Lynch: Conduct robust oversight over social media platforms

We can promote advancements in artificial intelligence, biometric technology, financial technology, and other areas while ensuring that these advancements do not undermine our individual privacy and civil liberties. I have conducted several hearings to examine the privacy implications of developing technologies--including the misuse of artificial intelligence to create manipulative and deceptive videos and the failure of emerging financial applications to protect personal financial information.

The federal government must serve an essential role in working with private sector social media platforms and federal law enforcement entities to prevent the dissemination of misinformation on social media that threatens the health and safety of the American public. I believe that Congress must continue to conduct robust oversight in this area and will continue to urge social media company officials to ramp up their efforts to combat misinformation on their platforms.

Source: ScienceDebate.org on 2020 MA-8 House race Oct 9, 2020

Teresa Leger Fernandez: Need strong investments in schools, internet, health care

I have worked in communities here in Northern New Mexico that do not have access to the internet, or even to clean water. These communities have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic because of their lack of basic infrastructure. We must build broadband and incentivize clean energy. We must expand our understanding of infrastructure to include critical services like health care, early childhood education, and public schools.
Source: 2020 House NM-3 Campaign website TeresaForAll.com Feb 13, 2021

Xochitl Torres Small: Hailed $165 million for rural broadband in New Mexico

Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich along with Representatives Ben Ray Lujan, Deb Haaland and Xochitl Torres Small, hailed the announcement that 18 cable companies, satellite businesses, electrical cooperatives, and wireless providers in New Mexico have won nearly $165 million from the Federal Communications Commission's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction. The utilities received the funding for a 10-year period to provide broadband access in 64,170 locations in New Mexico.
Source: Press release haaland.house-gov on 2020 NM-2 House race Dec 11, 2020

Thomas Kean Jr.: Finish the job on the Gateway Tunnel project

A Commitment to Improving Infrastructure: We must elect a Representative with the ability to finish the job on the Gateway Tunnel project. On the state level, Tom Kean worked with Governors and legislators, alike, to reform the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and help lay the foundation for this project on a bi-state basis. He has both the knowledge and le
Source: 2020 NJ-7 House campaign website TomKean.com Nov 1, 2020

  • The above quotations are from News coverage of 2020 House of Representatives elections.
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2016 Presidential contenders on Technology:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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