Warren plan aims for more tech-savvy Congress

(Bloomberg) -- When Mark Zuckerberg testified on Capitol Hill last year, lawmakers questioning him were roundly criticized for their ignorance of basic social media and technology.

Elizabeth Warren says she has a plan for that.

The Democratic presidential candidate rolled out a proposal Friday to re-establish the Office of Technology Assessment, which, from 1972 to 1995, provided members of Congress and their staffs with analysis of complex scientific and technology issues.

Warren said the move would allow Congress to make decisions without relying on lobbyists, who are at the core of her anti-corruption efforts. Lawmakers, she said are increasingly being asked “to climb steep learning curves on these technical subjects without much help other than from corporate lobbyists whose goal isn’t to find the right policy answer but rather to secure the most profitable outcome for their companies.”

A Warren administration also would increase funding for agencies that provide support and information to lawmakers by creating the Lobbying Defense Trust Fund, financed by taxing those who engage in “excessive lobbying.” She also vowed to increase pay for congressional staffers to competitive salaries as a motive to attract and retain talent in those positions.

Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2019/09/27/warren-plan-aims-for-more-tech-savvy-congress/keoPc0XZtqgU84bb12UcJO/story.html