Technology and Innovation

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici toured Portland Community College's Columbia County Center on Wednesday, Aug. 18. The new facility is home to PCC's OMIC Training Center, across the street from the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center facility operated by Oregon Institute of Technology. Bonamici, who attended community college, mostly asked questions of PCC OMIC director Andrew Lattanner, but also briefly spoke with students participating in a week-long introduction to manufacturing class.

State Sen. Betsy Johson, D-Scappoose, widely agreed to have been a driving force behind the OMIC initiative, praised the political support for OMIC, including backing from U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici and Columbia County commissioners. "It has been terrific when prospects or businesses that want to become members say 'what's the level of political support you have?' And we can say without fear of contradiction, it's 100% and we're damn proud of it," Johnson said.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon's 1st District is inviting students to participate in the Congressional App Challenge. The challenge will take place for the seventh consecutive year and innovative middle and high school students from all over northwest Oregon are urged to take part. "Learning to code can be a valuable and empowering experience for students," Bonamici said in a news release. "I enjoy holding the Congressional App Challenge every year because it gives students an opportunity to learn and showcase new skills.

Researchers are raising questions about the growing array of new digital tools employers are using to streamline the hiring process.

"Proponents of new technologies assert that digital tools eliminate bias and discrimination by attempting to remove humans from the process, but technology is not developed or used in a vacuum," said Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore. "A growing body of evidence suggests that left unchecked, digital tools can absorb and replicate systemic biases that are ingrained in the environment in which they are designed."

The lunch brought together elected leaders at every level of government to talk about expanding broadband internet.

Bonamici addressed the dispute at the lunch, saying, "We need to resolve that. I know there's legislation to overturn the FCC ruling. I've heard from many municipalities about their concerns it's a loss of revenue, it's a loss of local control. We have to work together. Access to broadband, particularly rural broadband is a refreshingly bipartisan issue."