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I recently sat down with Representative Ro Khanna of California to talk about technology, jobs and economic lessons from his perspective as Silicon Valley's congressman. Khanna, who is serving his first term, is vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and previously taught economics at Stanford University, law at Santa Clara University, and American jurisprudence at San Francisco State University. Here are some highlights of our conversation:
Washington, DC – During House Armed Services Committee markup of the fiscal year 2018 (FY 18) defense spending bill, commonly known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) addressed ways that government spending can be more accountable and encouraged competition among the defense industry in an effort to keep contracting practices in the public's best interest.
When Ro Khanna won his seat in Congress last November, it was the culmination of three congressional campaigns, a decade of political organizing and thousands of hours knocking on doors.
But as Khanna stepped offstage after delivering his victory speech in Fremont, the wonky, tech-friendly congressman-elect quickly realized the new president would in many ways be his polar opposite: someone who pays little attention to the weeds of policy and who has even bemoaned the role of computers in society.
Washington, DC – This morning, Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) introduced an amendment to on H.R.2842, the Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act. It is a bill that will assist low-income individuals by helping some of our most needy Americans to enter the workforce and maintain their employment.
Washington, DC -- Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) issued the following statement on the Senate releasing their version to repeal the Affordable Care Act:
When Amazon announced last week that it intended to acquire the upscale grocery chain Whole Foods, it sent shockwaves through the grocery industry. Other grocers' share prices plummeted. Analysts predicted Amazon would become a "top five" grocer within a few years. Synergies were imagined.
Within all the business chatter, however, a few policy wonks and at least one ally in Congress began to raise the antitrust alarm. They think Amazon is too powerful and might engage in anti-competitive practices.
Amazon's $13.7 billion deal to acquire Whole Foods will cause a few problems in one major district of California, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna told CNBC on Monday.
"The main problem is it is going to hurt local grocery stores," Khanna, a Democratic congressman whose district includes a large portion of Silicon Valley, said on "Squawk Alley."
Amazon and Whole Foods can "engage in low-cost pricing and it is also going to put pressure on wages," he added.
As soon as Amazon announced on Friday that it was purchasing Whole Foodsfor $13.7 billion, antitrust and competition policy experts sat straight up.
While Amazon has been toying with brick-and-mortar retail for a few years — opening a handful of bookstores and grocery stores — the Seattle digital retail giant's domination has mostly stayed online. Amazon accounted for 34 percent of all digital commerce last year, and that figure is expected to hit 50 percent by 2021, according to figures from the research firm Needham & Co.
Washington, DC – Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) issued the following statement on President Trump signing an executive order to massively expand apprenticeship programs:
Washington, DC – In a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) invited him to visit Silicon Valley to meet with U.S. tech leaders and congratulated the president his recent election win. This invitation follows one to British Prime Minister Theresa May, inviting her to visit Silicon Valley in an effort to find solutions between governments and tech companies to fight online terrorism while respecting the freedom of speech.