Press Release
☷Remarks by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo at the Virginia Innovation Forum
U.S. Department of Commerce ( By Press Release office)
Feb 15,2024
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Hey there , Senator Warner! I just wanted to say a big thank you to you and Representative Beyer for being here today . Your leadership was crucial in getting the CHIPS and Science Act passed and making the Innovation Fund a reality . I also want to give a shout - out to Assistant Secretary Davidson and the entire Innovation Fund team at NTIA for their amazing work in setting up this program and funding projects like the one we ' re celebrating today . So far , the Innovation Fund has invested over $140 million in wireless testing infrastructure and research , which is a historic investment from the federal government . These investments are laying the groundwork for a new era of prosperity and innovation . But here ' s the good news: the answer to our challenges lies in our fundamental American values of openness , competition , and working with our allies . That ' s what the Innovation Fund is all about . By embracing open and interoperable wireless networks , we ' re opening the door to innovation , giving our wireless companies more options , and strengthening our supply chains . That means better performance , more secure networks , and potentially lower costs for consumers . There ' s still a lot of work to be done , but this is an exciting moment , and I ' m thrilled to see the incredible results of this collaboration . Thanks , everyone! The reason we ' re all here is pretty simple: if America wants to outshine the rest of the world , we ' ve got to invest in technology and innovation . Wireless technology is particularly important for our economy and national security . Right now , we ' ve only got a handful of wireless equipment suppliers , and some of them pose serious national security risks . That ' s a huge problem , and it ' s just not acceptable . And let me tell you , embracing competition doesn ' t mean we ' re turning our backs on collaboration . Just look at the ACCoRD project we ' re celebrating today . It ' s bringing together over two dozen carriers , equipment suppliers , and universities , including our wonderful hosts at Virginia Tech . We ' ve also got representatives from the Japanese and Indian embassies here , because fortifying supply chains is an international effort . We can ' t do it alone , and we need our allies and partners to help us diversify our supply chains . We ' ve got to work together to build our capacity , so we can continue leading the way in telecommunications .
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