Science and Innovation
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One of the great things about representing Northern Virginia in Congress is the incredible breadth of institutions devoted to research, technology, and innovation that our region is home to. From the National Science Foundation, to the wealth of private sector tech companies, to academic institutions, we are surrounded by endeavor focused on unlocking a better future, and I have brought enthusiasm for science to Congress as your Representative. As a longtime former member of the House Science Committee, I am particularly focused on leadership in several key areas: Artificial Intelligence New AI technologies are evolving rapidly, and one of my main tasks has been leading the way on the response. I was named as a member of the bipartisan Task Force On Artificial Intelligence, convened by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker Mike Johnson. I also serve as Vice Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus, and Vice Chair of the New Democrat Coalition’s AI Working Group. I am the author of the AI Foundation Model Transparency Act and a lead cosponsor of the CREATE AI Act, the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act, and the Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act. In my spare time I am attending George Mason University as a part time student completing coursework towards the pursuit of a master’s degree in machine learning. Fusion Energy One of the new clean-energy technologies that excites me most and that brings me the most hope for a sustainable future is fusion energy. I founded the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus in 2021, and today it has over 100 members in the House, with a mission to educate Congress about the research and increasing potential of fusion energy. Through the Fusion Energy Caucus, I have helped build support for research and development, and ensure these efforts are funded. I have also worked to help educate the public about the incredible promise of fusion. Legislation I helped craft advance fusion includes the Fusion Energy Act, which passed the House. Space I served as Chair of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee in the 117th Congress, in which capacity I helped draft and pass the first bipartisan reauthorization of NASA in years (included in the CHIPS and SCIENCE Act). My work on the subcommittee also included leading the effort to protect funding for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, longtime advocacy for NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, and defending of funding for NASA’s Earth Science Division from Trump-era attacks. I am the author of the Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act (signed into law in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022), and the Space Safety and Situational Awareness Transition Act of 2023. |