i3 - September/October 2017 - 11

By Tiffany Moore

Fast Facts:
Congressman
Kevin Owen
McCarthy
Born: January 26, 1965,
Bakersfield, CA
Office: Representative
(R-CA 23rd District)
since 2013
Previous office:
Representative, CA 22nd
District (2007-2013)
Spouse: Judy
McCarthy (1992)

Left: John Lindsey; Right: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images

Q How can technology make the world better?
A I was involved in the JOBS Act a number of years ago
dealing with capital for startups. Since that JOBS Act
passed, a number of companies have benefited, for example,
Snapchat didn't have to go for an IPO to grow and get capital.
We looked at old regulations and laws that were made decades
ago and modernized them - taking the tradition of the past
and applying it to a changing future. I worked with Chief
Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-NC) on the JOBS Act. I started
taking members to Silicon Valley and giving different tours.
I wanted members to start thinking about what America should
look like in the next 50 to 100 years. We often get bogged down
in Congress and Committee worrying about a small amendment instead of thinking about what overall it should look like.
One of our big bipartisan bills that will affect us a great deal
is the Modernizing Government Technology Act. Look at
the VA system that was created in 1921. When a veteran had
a problem then, they would write the claim on a piece of paper,
to get news they would turn on the radio. Today we look at
our cell phones for news but if there is a claim at the VA, they
still write it on paper. We spend $80 billion a year on technology
C TA . t e c h / i 3

Education:
California State
University, Bakersfield
(1994); California
State University,
Bakersfield (1989)

Technology
gives us better
data so we can
serve constituents better.

Tech

and government. Eighty percent
of that $80 billion goes to legacy
programs. Technology gives us better
data so we can serve constituents
better. Today, if someone calls their
congressman or congresswoman
and has a problem with a federal
government agency, they will mail
you a form to fill out before anybody
can do the casework, even if it is
a crisis. We are moving to make that
electronic. We can make government
more efficient, more effective and
more accountable.

Q How can the U.S. remain the
most innovative country?
A There are these little Silicon
Valleys in different areas based
around our higher education
university system. Have you heard
of Udacity? Sebastian (Thrun)
invented the technology that gives
you nanodegrees. When our son
was going to Georgetown I saw on
my credit card that I was paying
for Udacity. I went on a tour and
took a number of members there.
Sebastian, who was working for
Alphabet, taught a class at Stanford
and offered it online. You can get
a nanodegree in web and software
development, robotics or artificial
intelligence, and many (graduates)
are hired by the top companies in
America like Facebook, Alphabet
and Google. But our GI Bill denies
our veterans from going to Udacity
or other educational systems like
it, which is why I introduced the
Vet Tech bill. One of the interesting
things about disruption is that it
equals the playing field. If you take
that same platform and apply it to the
Veteran's Administration, a veteran
could make a doctor's appointment
using an app. They can rate the doctor, the doctor can rate them and they
can have all of their medical records.
I have been working closely with Jared
Kushner at the White House. We have
already been able to get the medical
records in one central place and move
technology into these agencies so
we get better data and we are more
effective and accountable.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

https://www.udacity.com/ http://www.cta.tech.com

i3 - September/October 2017

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