Bipartisan Team of Co-Chairs Includes Former U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Kent Conrad
WASHINGTON, DC – The American Edge Project, a coalition of nearly two dozen domestic organizations, today announced the formation of its Economic Advisory Board. The Board will be led by former United States Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Kent Conrad (D-ND), whose collective service in Congress spanned 40 years. The duo will draw upon those decades of experience – as well as a deep appreciation for the remarkable role technology plays in powering Main Street economies – to ensure policymakers understand the critical need to protect American innovation. In their capacity as Co-Chairs, Senators Chambliss and Conrad will also work in close collaboration with the Project’s directors, as well as with their counterparts who comprise the recently announced National Security Advisory Board.
“During my time in the United States Senate, I was proud to receive the ‘Guardian of Small Business’ recognition. I can think of no better distinction to describe the innovators who built digital platforms that American small business owners leverage to bring more products to a broad consumer base around the world,” said Senator Chambliss. “I look forward to working with my former colleague to help protect the future of America’s technological edge. Our country’s economic recovery depends on it.”
“Millions of jobs and countless businesses of all sizes across America are supported by a digital economy that is growing nearly three times as fast as the overall economy,” added Senator Conrad. “When I began my tenure as Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, many innovative tools were still in their infancy or had not yet been invented. Today, those same tools are indispensable ingredients in the success of our country’s small business sector. As our country fights to come back from the COVID-19 crisis, such a powerful economic engine must be defended – not derailed.”
Background: The American Edge Project is a coalition of domestic organizations representing a cross-section of U.S. innovators who are dedicated to telling the story about technology’s positive influence on America’s economy and the vital role innovation plays in our society. Former New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, former U.S. Representative Chris Carney, and former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley A. Smith are directors of the American Edge Project. Admiral James G. Stavridis, USN (Ret.), who served as the 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO, and former White House Counterterrorism and Homeland Security Advisor Frances Townsend serve as Co-Chairs of the Project’s National Security Advisory Board. Visit AmericanEdgeProject.org for more information.
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