Politics

Senators Want Presidential Innovation Fellows Made Permanent

Says it would make entering public service more attractive to technologists

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, is one of four senators sponsoring legislation to make the Presidential Innovation Fellows program permanent (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, is one of four senators sponsoring legislation to make the Presidential Innovation Fellows program permanent (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
By Eric Garcia
Posted December 8, 2016 at 9:23am

A bipartisan group of senators want to improve the pipeline of technologists and innovators to enter the public sector.

 

Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, James Lankford, R-Okla., Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced legislation that would make the Presidential Innovation Fellows program permanent.

 

The rationale is that it would make the public sector and government service more attractive to technologists, The Associated Press reported.

 

The White House created the program in 2012 and paired entrepreneurs with civil servants.

 

The House of Representatives passed similar legislation in July, under the name TALENT Act of 2016.