New honorary co-chairs expand bipartisan sponsorship for tech security strategy
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 2, 2023 – The Global Tech Security Commission announced today the naming of four federal lawmakers representing both parties and both houses of Congress as new honorary co-chairs. Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Representative Michael Waltz (R-FL) and Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) will join six current bipartisan honorary co-chairs to advance the work of the commission in support of its mission to create a global tech security strategy that safeguards freedom through the adoption of trusted technology. In addition, Robert Hormats, who served as under secretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment from 2009 to 2013, was named an honorary co-chair, bringing expertise from a distinguished career in diplomacy that began in the 1970s.
At a time when the United States works to unite its transatlantic and Indo-Pacific partners to defend against authoritarian threats, the commission’s global tech security strategy is being designed to rally and unify like-minded countries, leverage the innovation and resources of the private sector, and build a global network to develop, protect and adopt trusted technologies. This international commission is led by Co-Chairs Keith Krach, former US under secretary of state and former CEO of DocuSign, and Kersti Kaljulaid, former president of Estonia and former chair of the Three Seas Initiative. Its operations are supported by the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue and the Atlantic Council.
The five new Honorary Co-Chairs join a group of six previously named Honorary Co-Chairs: Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Representatives Michael McCaul (R-TX), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Lori Trahan (D-MA). Collectively, these Honorary Co-Chairs represent significant leadership on Capitol Hill’s focus on global tech security:
- Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Chairman, Senate Intelligence Committee
- Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee, Europe And Regional Security
- Chairman, House Armed Services Subcommittee, Readiness
- Ranking Member, House China Select Committee
- Ranking Member, Senate Small Business And Entrepreneurship Committee
- Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee, Asia
- Ranking Member, House Intelligence Subcommittee, National Security Agency And Cyber
- Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee, International Operations
“Congress asked for a thorough, bipartisan playbook for advancing global tech security with our allies,” said Krach. “The fact that the honorary co-chairs who represent some of the most respected foreign policy leaders in Congress are putting their weight behind the commission demonstrates the criticality of the mission. In this fight for freedom against technological authoritarianism, failure is not an option.”
Three factors make the commission’s scope uniquely strategic for countering techno-authoritarian threats. First, the commission’s focus is on developing in-depth strategies for each White House-designated national security tech sector and integrating them into an overarching global tech security strategy. Second, global in scale and led by the private sector, the commission is composed of 15 country commissioners, 12 tech sector commissioners and 20 strategy commissioners, who each lead expert advisory councils. Third, while previous commissions primarily focused on problem analysis and defensive policies, the Global Tech Security Commission will integrate offensive and defensive strategies and begin building the Global Tech Trust Network, aimed at establishing standards to accelerate the adoption of trusted technologies.
The following are statements from the newest honorary co-chairs:
“I’m honored to serve on the Global Tech Security Commission with my friend Keith Krach, my colleagues in Congress, and other national security leaders. I look forward to working with this commission on a variety of issues critical to preserving America’s global leadership in science and technology. We have a national security imperative to ensure the United States doesn’t fall behind our adversaries in technological innovation.” – Senator Todd Young (R-IN)
“American tech leadership is absolutely critical for our national security and our economy. We’ve made important progress with the passage of the CHIPS Act and investments in next-gen tech, but we’re going to need a stronger national and global strategy to protect our investments against the tremendous advancements of adversarial entities including the Chinese Communist Party. I look forward to working with the Global Tech Security Commission to bring together leaders in this space to protect American leadership and strengthen national and cyber security.” – Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)
“As the United States incentivizes investments in emerging technologies, we must ensure that our advances are not undermined by domestic threats or antidemocratic, authoritarian regimes like those in China, Russia, and Iran. These foreign adversaries have made it clear that they are willing to leverage technology to breach United States institutions, steal intellectual property, collect data on American citizens, and access the systems that control our critical infrastructure. I’m honored to join colleagues from both sides of the aisle to serve on the Global Tech Security Commission. Our work will help protect national security, bolster American competitiveness, safeguard our infrastructure and economy, and fight back against foreign aggression.” – Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)
“It’s critical to our national security that we come together to develop solutions to counter the Chinese Communist Party’s technological rise. I’m thrilled to serve alongside fellow lawmakers on the Global Tech Security Commission to ensure we deliver recommendations that can be applied by both our government and allies around the world to ensure democracies maintain a technological edge and safeguard freedom over authoritarian adversaries.” – Representative Michael Waltz (R-FL)
“I am proud to be an honorary co-chair of the GTSC. I greatly appreciate the visionary leadership of my fellow former under secretary of state, Keith Krach, as the GTSC engages in the critical and urgent work of developing a global strategy for combating techno-authoritarianism and building ties of technological trust. Keith and I served as under secretaries in different administrations, but the mission of the GTSC is one that every American can unite behind: ensuring that the United States and our friends and allies have a shared strategy for advancing freedom and democracy, and the integrity of international and domestic information and data networks, and for resisting those regimes around the world who seek to exploit technological advancements for antidemocratic and hostile purposes.” – Robert Hormats, former under secretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment (2009-13)
About the Global Tech Security Commission
The Global Tech Security Commission is a network of global multi-sector leaders dedicated to creating a global tech security strategy that safeguards freedom through the adoption of trusted technology. For the Commission’s latest developments, visit globaltechsecurity.com.
Please contact [email protected] for media inquiries about the Global Tech Security Commission.
About the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue
The nonpartisan Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is the world’s preeminent institution focused on tech statecraft, a new model of diplomacy that bridges the high-tech sector with the foreign policy and national security sectors to ensure trusted technology is used to advance freedom. The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy leverages Purdue’s strength in innovation, deep expertise in technology, and global prowess in educating transformational leaders. It focuses on rallying our allies, leveraging the innovation of the private sector, and amplifying democratic values based on trust.
About the Atlantic Council
Driven by our mission of shaping the global future together, the Atlantic Council is a nonpartisan organization that galvanizes US leadership and engagement in the world, in partnership with allies and partners, to shape solutions to global challenges. The Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub researches and devises allied solutions to three of the greatest challenges posed by China’s rise: 1) China’s growing influence on countries, global institutions, and democratic values; 2) the global ramifications of political and economic change in Xi Jinping’s China; and 3) China’s drive to dominate emerging technologies and consequences for individual rights and privacy.
