On High-Tech
"I've lived and worked in this district for nearly my entire life. I've watched its remarkable transformation from Blossom Valley to Silicon Valley. In that time, we have done nothing less than change the way the world does business. With this remarkable success comes great responsibility. We must continue to grow and expand our new economy, and we must continue to be leaders in the field of innovation. We must ensure that our businesses are staffed by the most talented and skilled employees. And we must ensure that our students learn the high-tech skills they'll need to compete for jobs in the 21st Century."
          - Congressman Mike Honda
INVESTING IN INNOVATION
Mike Honda believes that by providing businesses with incentives to push the boundaries of research and development, the new economy will continue to grow and expand. As a Member of Congress, Honda supported legislation to permanently extend the R&D tax credit. The bill Honda supported provides billions in new research and development investments for the high-tech community and silicon valley.
CYBER SECURITY
Mike Honda believes that in the wake of the September 11th attacks, Silicon Valley must assist in securing our nation, both by identifying its vulnerabilities and helping to secure its critical infrastructure. Our telephone, satellite, and Internet systems may well represent the next front line in our continuing war on terrorism as well as a new front line in an unseen cyber-attack. The United States relies on these critical modes of communication, both for day-to-day functioning of the government and for crisis management as well.

As a Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus on Homeland Security, Mike authored provisions of the United States Security Act of 2001 (H.R. 3555) that authorized $2 billion in matching grants to state and local governments for information technology protection. He also was an original cosponsor of a bill to establish research programs in the area of networked information security.
INVESTING IN INNOVATION
Mike Honda believes that by providing businesses with incentives to the boundaries of research and development, the new economy continue to grow and expand. As a Member of Congress, Honda legislation to permanently extend the R&D tax credit. The bill Honda supported provides billions in new research and development investments for the high-tech community and Silicon Valley. He has also supported a national broadband policy to study and guide the expansion of new technologies and tax credits to expand broadband service in to rural communities.
ENSURING A SKILLED WORKFORCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
As a Member of Congress, former teacher, principal, and school board member, Mike Honda has made improving education a top priority. In Silicon Valley, that means putting high-tech equipment in the classroom so that students have the skills they need to compete in the 21st Century workforce. It means making a priority of investing in science and technology programs for our kids and at the university level. In Congress, Honda authored NETCorps, incentive program to encourage businesses to partner up with public schools to provide resources to modernize classrooms.

Honda has also sought to provide federal help in retraining individuals who do not possess the high-tech computer skills necessary to compete for jobs in today’s economy. He has cosponsored the Employee Educational Assistance Act (H.R. 1483), legislation that would permanently extend the exclusion of employer-provided educational assistance from gross income.
FIGHTING FOR HIGH-TECH
Other high-tech initiatives Mike Honda supports include: protecting the e-rate for internet access for schools and libraries, defending patent protections, relaxation of encryption export controls, permanent trade relations with China, fighting high tech crime, and closing the digital divide.