Advance. Everyone needs a chance to prosper. And broadband, the internet, modern communications is to us what pencil and tablet was to my greatgrandparents 100 years ago. Peter lets bring our guest reporter, gopal ratnam, from cq roll call into our conversation. Gopal thank you for having me, peter. And congressman lucas, thank you for taking this time to speak. I want to ask you about the proposal you have, that you put out in january, asking for an increase in spending on federal r d. Among the things that you called for is a boost in spending on Artificial Intelligence, biotech and quantum computing. But given the pandemic we are amidst now, 120,000 plus americans have died, is there anything that you would change in terms of areas of focus, areas of research where such federal spending to be applied . Could be applied . Rep. Lucas i think what we have seen in recent weeks demonstrates not just the need, but the magnitude of the resources that are necessary. When legislation was bei
The committee is meeting to widenedhow covid19 inequities in education, health, and the workforce. His is a remote hearing ask general rule, i will that microphones, including those of members and witnesses, be cap muted to avoid background noise. Members are responsible for on muting themselves when they wish to seek recognition. Somebody is not muted right now. Can you check to see if you are muted . Required tobers are leave their cameras on the entire time they are in official proceedings, even if they step away from the camera. Hearing, theremote Committee Chair is officially closed. Members who sit with their devices in the room must wear headphones to avoid feedback, echoes, and distortion resulting from more than one person on the platform sitting in the same room. Use are also expected to social distancing guidelines including the use of masks, gloves, and wiping down the area in the hearing room. Questions, if the witness is also in the hearing room, it would help if you mute
The committee on health education, labor and pensions will please come to order. First, the usual administrative matters like the theater announcements we use to receive, we are getting used to those, we follow the advice of the attending physician and sergeantatarms consulted with all the right people, we are seated 6 feet apart, that means no room for public or the media here but the media is participating and we hope the public is as well. And the videoconference is a real change for the United States senate and a very welcome one because it makes it possible to attract witnesses who have busy schedules on the same day such as today, by video conference, you may remove your masks since were 6 feet apart. The sergeant at arms, press gallery, architect of the capital, capital police, committee staff, Evan Griffiths for their hard work to keep us safe. We will each have an Opening Statement and we turn to our witnesses we thank for being with us today, each witness we ask you summarize
Www. Health. Senate. Gov is our website. I think it makes it possible for us to be table to attract witnesses who have very busy schedules on the same day such as today. Some senators are participating by videoconference. Senators may remove their masks since were 6 feet apart. Im grateful to the rules committee, the sarge want at arms, the press gallery, the capitol police, our Committee Staff for all their hard work to help keep us safe. Senator murray and i will each have an opening statement, and then well turn to our witnesses who we thank very much for being with us today. Each witness we would ask that you summarize your remarks in five minutes, which will allow more time for the large number of senators who we expect to participate to present their testimony. Well have one round of questions for a five minute round. Less than four months ago on march 1st the coronavirus situation was about this. At the end of february there were 79,000 cases around the world, only 14 in the Uni
Make sure its accessible to all americans across the landscape. I cant imagine as a member of congress how we would have functioned in this pandemic without the ability to use a variety of conferencing and communications technologies, not just the traditional phone calls we use for our Republican House conferences but zoom and webex and a whole variety of platforms to move information back and forth. Thats not just in politics. Not just in the legislative process. Listening to my friends and industry its been a necessity because many have spent a minimal amount of time in the office in the last 90 days just as i sped a minimal amount of time in my office in the last 90 days. Host so whats the role of congress in advancing that or is there a a role . Guest we are a facilitator. This is something that going all the way back to the telecommunication act of the 1930s, things that essentially everyone in the country is going to have the best technology and if its going to be widely availabl