Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
We checked in with lawmakers this week to see how they're thinking about tech issues post-election.
On Elon Musk, Democrats expressed openness to his plans to downsize the government, which could affect tech agencies.
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal: "Anybody who has good ideas is going to be a plus. And Elon Musk has been highly successful in a lot of what he's done, and maybe he has some good ideas, but I think we need to scrutinize his ideas, just like we do everyone else."
- Sen. John Hickenlooper: "Elon Musk is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time, an innovator and iconoclast. All those things can be good in government."
- "But I think what people, at least some people, are very worried about is his making decisions that affect his net worth, his self-interest," Hickenlooper added.
On TikTok, which President-elect Trump said on the campaign trail that he no longer wants to ban, Sen. Mark Warner noted that it was former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin who educated him on the national security risks.
- "80% of the Congress overwhelmingly voted for this with the national security concern. None of those national security concerns have disappeared. If anything, they've gotten worse," Warner said.
- Sen. Josh Hawley on repealing the law: "If the idea is, we'll get TikTok sold off and then roll it back, that's fine."
- Rep. Jim Jordan on changing the law: "I remember when I walked on the floor I was still undecided on the day of the vote. So I'm definitely open to that."
On the Kids Online Safety Act, Blumenthal said he remains hopeful it'll pass in the House.
- "I've heard nothing from leadership that leads me to think that they will oppose it, and if it's given a vote, it will pass."
- "We're in very active conversations about how to move it, and we're also hearing from parents and young people who are focused on members of the House."
On the new Senate majority leader, Sen. Ben Ray Luján said he's enjoyed working on broadband issues with Thune.
- But Luján said he's not strategizing how to get the Affordable Connectivity Program renewed under the new leadership yet, and is continuing to push for it this year: "ACP funding is possible right now under Majority Leader Chuck Schumer."
On AI, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said conversations continue with House Speaker Mike Johnson to get AI bills attached to the annual defense policy bill.
- Sen. Mike Rounds said he wants the bipartisan AI group that Schumer formed to continue next year: "We've got more people that have actually said they want to be a part of our AI caucus on both sides of the aisle, so I think it's going to be stronger going forward."
On export controls, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said he wants to get legislation passed "ideally by December," but declined to name specific bills.
