Press Releases

Led by Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI), Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), 43 New Democrat Coalition Members sent a letter to Dr. Ralph Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences, requesting a report on the state of digital literacy in America’s education system. The Coalition argued that “in a more connected and technologically-advanced economy, digital literacy is fundamental.” In a similar letter, Coalition leaders received the bipartisan support of Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) and Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY) in requesting this report from the National Academy of Sciences.

“Better technology skills today will mean better job opportunities tomorrow,” the leaders of the letter said in a statement. “As New Democrats, we believe that when Americans have access to core digital skills, they’re better prepared to compete. That is why we look forward to seeing the results of the study, which we hope will identify America’s strengths and weaknesses in these critical competencies.”

The letter notes the findings of a 2013 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study that found that America’s young adults ranked near the bottom for using digital skills to solve problems, including the ability to use digital tools to acquire and evaluate information. “As policy makers, it is our responsibility to prudently use the tools and resources we have to help improve digital literacy,” the letter reads.

Click here to view a copy of the letter to the National Academy of Sciences.

The New Democrat Coalition is dedicated to maintaining America’s standing as the world’s strongest, most successful nation. Founded in 1997, the New Dems believe firmly in the power of American ingenuity and innovation, and are focused on finding ways to foster and harness this creativity to grow our economy, create new American jobs, and ensure a safer and more secure future for our country. 

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