WASHINGTON, D.C.—With billions of federal broadband dollars set to pour into local communities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) has announced a new Standing Committee on Technology and Innovation and named Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell as its first chair.
The new committee will examine broadband deployment, cybersecurity, and city digital services, as well as promote best practices and help set the Conference's policy on these and other related issues.
"With Mayor Harrell's leadership, this new standing committee will keep mayors and cities at the cutting-edge of what's possible in the market and in government," said (USCM) President Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. "Technology changes rapidly, and we want to ensure mayors and cities stay nimble and are the drivers of digital progress."
The Committee's initial work in the coming months will focus on broadband, especially accessing funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for infrastructure deployment and digital equity, as well as cybersecurity.
The Committee's purview will also include issues such as government procurement, the gig economy, disinformation on the internet, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, the metaverse, consumer privacy, smart cities, and data governance.
The new Committee joins the Conference's twelve other standing committees on topics such as health, housing, energy, and transportation.
