Cathy McMorris Rodgers Urges Commerce Dept To 'Streamline Permitting For Our Critical Supply Chains'

3 months ago

Prior to the Congressional recess, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) spoke about US global competition and data privacy policy.

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Transcript

00:00I thank the ranking member and now recognize the chair of the full

00:03committee, Mrs. Rogers, for five minutes for her opening statement. Thank you,

00:08Chair Bilirakis. I appreciate your continued leadership on so many issues

00:12important to this committee, many of which touch the Department of Commerce

00:17like tourism and travel. And welcome back, Secretary Raimondo. We appreciate you

00:22being here and your cooperation with the committee as we work to ensure America's

00:26continued economic and technological leadership. This committee plays in a

00:31vital role in preserving and bolstering that leadership, which is currently being

00:36threatened by countries like China. It's critical that we work together to

00:40ensure that America is setting the rules of the road for the technologies of

00:44tomorrow. In part, that requires that we make sure these technologies are

00:49developed here in the U.S. in an ecosystem that promotes America's values.

00:54As you know, this committee has a rich history of bipartisanship, and we've

00:58worked this Congress and past Congresses to advance U.S. priorities

01:02domestically and internationally. Your department plays a key role in

01:06implementing the policies we advance, from improving data privacy, to

01:10strengthening supply chains, to helping build emerging technologies. Those

01:15efforts are essential as we work towards our shared goals of winning the future

01:19and beating China. Tomorrow, this committee will mark up the American

01:24Privacy Rights Act. This bipartisan legislation will not only give Americans

01:28the right to privacy and control over their data, but it will also benefit the

01:34Department of Commerce when representing American business interests on the world

01:38stage. According to the most recent data from the International Association of

01:42Privacy Professionals, almost 80% of developed countries have some form of

01:47comprehensive data privacy on the books, with one very notable exception, the U.S.

01:54This lack of comprehensive privacy protections puts us at a competitive

01:59disadvantage and prevents us from clearly articulating how to balance

02:04personal rights with promoting innovation. That's especially true when

02:09dealing with allies in the European Union who can disproportionately

02:14influence outcomes through GDPR and other laws. These overly burdensome

02:19foreign regulations hamper innovation at the expense of Americans. Passing APRA

02:25will send a clear message to the world that we are serious about protecting our

02:30data and provides the opportunity to put our imprint on future international laws,

02:34like rules on cross-border data flow. If we fail to do this, adversaries will fill

02:41the void and weaken our leadership ability, as well as leave Americans'

02:45information open to exploitation from them. Getting APRA across the finish

02:51line is also essential to our shared goal of cementing U.S. leadership in

02:55artificial intelligence. Your goals to promote cutting-edge semiconductor

03:00technology through the CHIPS program, as well as your efforts to promote AI safety,

03:05are not mutually exclusive. We need to ensure America is leading both in

03:10semiconductor and AI technology development. And that means fostering

03:15a healthy business environment, securing our supply chains, and streamlining,

03:19rather than restricting, permitting to secure the domestic supply chain of

03:24critical materials necessary for these technologies. Otherwise, we will cede our

03:29leadership in AI and other technologies of the future to China and others. Money

03:36and mandates are not enough. We must have an approach that fosters the

03:41culture of ingenuity and entrepreneurship America needs to move

03:45our country forward. This subcommittee has worked on several important

03:49solutions this past Congress that Chair Bill Arrakis alluded to, and I hope that

03:54we can continue to move these priorities forward to improve the

03:58deployment of emerging technologies, encourage foreign investment into

04:02America and companies, streamline permitting for our critical supply

04:06chains, and enhance our nation's cybersecurity. We look forward to working

04:10with you on these efforts and continuing to build on the economic legacy that has

04:15made this country great. Look forward to hearing your testimony, Madam Secretary.

04:19And I yield back.

Cathy McMorris Rodgers Urges Commerce Dept To 'Streamline Permitting For Our Critical Supply Chains'

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