LAS VEGAS, NV – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) led a panel discussion at the CES, the world’s largest tech conference, in Las Vegas with U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) on their emerging tech policy priorities. The Senators – all active members of the Senate’s Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee – spoke about the benefits and risks of AI, bridging the digital divide, emerging auto safety technologies, and tech workforce development.
CES is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association and held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, hosting presentations of new products and technologies in the consumer electronics industry. As a former computer programmer and software developer, Senator Rosen had attended CES in the past – and after visiting for the first time as a U.S. Senator in 2019, she decided to annually bring a group of her colleagues to Las Vegas to attend CES and convene a panel of Senators to discuss technology policy. This is Senator Rosen’s fourth year leading a panel with Senate colleagues.
“Nevada is honored to host the world’s largest showcase of cutting-edge technological development and innovation every year,” said Senator Rosen. “Las Vegas makes for a great place to discuss how this innovation can make our country safer, more accessible, and more affordable. I’m proud to have led another panel at CES to discuss what we’re doing in Congress to foster innovation, and I want to thank Senators Luján and Peters for joining me.”
“I’m committed to ensuring the United States remains a global leader in developing cutting edge technologies, especially in Michigan where we excel at things like advanced manufacturing and mobility,” said Senator Peters. “One critical component to staying competitive on the world stage will be ensuring we have a robust, highly skilled workforce that can drive this innovation. That’s why I’m going to keep pushing to increase our investments in STEM and other skilled trade opportunities that will equip American workers to obtain these good-paying, in-demand jobs.”
“It was an honor to join Senator Rosen and my colleagues to discuss innovation and the continued need to expand broadband access across our communities. Expanding broadband access is essential for accessing health care, job opportunities, and education,” said Senator Luján. “We’ve made real progress, but there is still so much more to be done. I look forward to building on these productive conversations and to continuing to work in the Senate to drive tech innovation for our constituents back home and generations to come.”
Senator Rosen has been a leader in advocating for tech innovation and improving access to STEM careers. She is the co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Women in STEM Caucus. Her bipartisan Building Blocks of STEM Act, which helps increase girls’ participation in computer science, was signed into law in 2019. Last year, she introduced the bipartisan STEM RESTART Act, which would provide funding to support mid-career internships, known as “returnships,” for workers seeking to return to or transition into the STEM workforce. She also helped pass the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which invests $52 billion in domestic computer chip manufacturing to help address the current shortage. Additionally, Senator Rosen helped write the broadband section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is delivering $65 billion to make high-speed internet more available and affordable to Americans.
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