Senator Warner introduced his friend, Aneesh Chopra, at the former Virginia Technology Secretary’s confirmation hearing to serve as President Obama’s Chief Technology Officer. 

“As someone who’s known and worked with Mr. Chopra for more than 10 years, I can tell you that keeping up with Aneesh and his inexhaustible series of ideas and energy level can be a whirlwind,” Senator Warner said.

President Obama has selected Chopra to fill the CTO position he promised to create during the campaign. The CTO will be responsible for thinking through how to make use of advanced technologies that can improve the economy and quality of life.   The CTO will develop national strategies for using advanced technologies to transform our economy and our society, such as fostering private sector innovation; reducing administrative costs and medical errors using health IT; and using technology to change the way teachers teach and students learn.  The CTO will be working more on the cutting edge of technology that has the potential for enormous transformative effects 

“We will apply the most innovative technologies to our most important challenges – bending the health care cost curve, optimizing the energy grid to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, delivering an educational system focused on student excellence with special emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, protecting our nation’s critical infrastructure, and building the high-wage, high-growth jobs in all corners of our country,” Chopra said during the hearing. 

Chopra most recently served as Virginia’s fourth Secretary of Technology, and he led the Commonwealth’s strategy to effectively leverage technology in government reform, promote Virginia’s innovation agenda, and foster technology-related economic development with a special emphasis on entrepreneurship. 

Senate Commerce Committee members said they hope to vote on Chopra’s confirmation tomorrow, along with four other nominees, including Randolph Babbitt to head the Federal Aviation Administration.