White House CTO Pledge Report on Innovation, Investment (updated)

White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra told the Senate Commerce Committee June 22 that he would have a report within 60 days on the impact of the Recovery Act funding on investments, innovation and access to capital. That would include more than $7 billion that is being handed out in broadband grants and loans through the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture.

The cable industry has registered its problems with the broadband grant program. National Cable & Telecommunications Association President Kyle McSlarrow called it a disaster, saying billions were going to duplicate deployment and overbuild his members.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) pushed Chopra for that impact report, saying it was important to find out the effect of that money on access to capital.

Citing the FCC's National Broadband Plan, Sen. Mark Udall (D-NM.) asked whether the US should come up with a national innovation plan including identifying government policies that block innovation, as well as seeking those that promote it.

Chopra aslo said the Obama administration is focused on fostering innovation in the health information technology and clean energy sectors in hopes they will drive the economy for years to come. Chopra said the administration is investing in the building blocks of innovation through research and development grants and contests aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship. He also suggested previous administrations placed less emphasis on innovation, which is why the U.S. is now lagging other developed nations in some areas.

"My humble opinion is this has to be a priority of the administration. I don't want to render judgments on past priorities, but structurally our president has made this a key priority," Chopra said.