NGA K-12 Computer Science talk

GOVERNOR Asa HUTCHINSON:

TODAY, WE HAVE A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY AS GOVERNORS TO PREPARE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SUCCEED IN THE DIGITAL WORLD IN WHICH THEY LIVE. THAT IS THE REASON I CHOSE AS MY INITIATIVE TO WORK WITH YOU TO EXPAND K-12 COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION. THIS MATTERS. IT MATTERS TO OUR STATE, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND OUR NATION. WITH 609,000 OPEN COMPUTING JOBS NATIONWIDE, THEY ARE NEEDED. IT IS ALSO A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE THAT WE FACE. THE OPTIONS ARE SIMPLE. WE CAN EITHER FALL BEHIND AS A NATION IF WE DO NOT HAVE THE COMPUTING SKILLS OF THE FUTURE, OR WE CAN BORROW THE TALENT FROM OVERSEAS AND SAY WE'RE JUST GOING TO UTILIZE THAT WHICH IS NOT A GOOD OPTION. THE THIRD OPTION IS TO PRODUCE OUR OWN TALENT AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AS GOVERNORS. IT IS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE CYBER THREATS WE FACE AS WELL. AS A RESULT OF THAT, WHEN I BECAME GOVERNOR IN 2000 15, WE PASSED A LAW TO MANDATE THE COMPUTER SCIENCE BE OFFERED IN EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN ARKANSAS. IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR US TO SAY WE HAVE TO INCORPORATE THE LOWER GRADES IN THE CURRICULUM FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE. WE DIDN'T REQUIRE ANYONE TO TAKE IT, IT WAS OFFERED. YES AS GOVERNOR, I WENT TO OVER 80 HIGH SCHOOLS. I KNOCKED ON DOORS, I TALKED TO STUDENTS AND I SAID WE NEED YOUR TALENT, WE NEED TO HAVE YOU TAKEN COMPUTER SCIENCE. AS A RESULT, WE HAD 1100 STUDENTS TAKING COMPUTER SCIENCE IN 2015 WHEN THIS INITIATIVE STARTED. THAT IS NOW OVER 13,000 STUDENTS IN ARKANSAS TAKING COMPUTER SCIENCE. [APPLAUSE] THAT IS A 770% INCREASE. THE NUMBER OF YOUNG WOMEN ENROLLED HAS JUMPED FROM 294. MINORITY STUDENTS HAVE INCREASED. MOST IMPORTANTLY, TEACHERS INSTRUCTORS HAVE GONE FROM LESS THAN 20 IN ARKANSAS TO ALMOST 600. THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO GET THE JOB DONE. I LOVE THE STORY OF THE FRENCH TEACHER WHO SAID IF I CAN TEACH FRENCH, SURELY I CAN LEARN COMPUTERS AND CODING. IT'S JUST ANOTHER LANGUAGE. SHE DID AND SHE HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN STUDENTS LIVES. LAST YEAR, I SIGNED INTO LEGISLATION A LOT OF REQUIRES AT LEAST ONE COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE IN ORDER TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. ONLY SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEVADA JOIN ARKANSAS AND THEY PRECEDED US. THERE ARE THREE STATES NOW THAT REQUIRE THAT. THIS WILL ALSO REQUIRE EVERY HIGH SCHOOL TO EMPLOY AT LEAST ONE CERTIFIED COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHER. WE ARE INVESTING MONEY IN THAT EVERY DAY. I WANT TO THANK CODE.ORG FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP THAT MEASURES US NATIONALLY AND IT IS THE NATIONAL VOICE TO EXPAND COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION. CAMERON WILSON I BELIEVE IS HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] WE ARE INTERESTED IN CREATING JOBS. WE WANT TO EDUCATE THEM, BUT THIS LEADS THE TECHNOLOGY JOBS IN ARKANSAS. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO ISRAEL. AS I WENT TO ISRAEL, I GOT TO SPEAK AT THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY CONFERENCE LED BY THE PRINT MINISTER. THERE, THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ISRAEL SPOKE FIRST AND SAID THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET PAST A LOT TO ALLOW -- A LAW TO ALLOW PILOTING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES. I GOT TO FOLLOW HER AND SAY THAT IN ARKANSAS, WE PASSED THE SAME LAW IN 2019 AND TODAY, WE ARE NOT ONLY PILOTING BUT USING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES WITHOUT A SAFETY DRIVER FOR THE DELIVERY OF GOODS FROM THE WAREHOUSE TO THE STORE. THAT IS WHAT TECHNOLOGY CAN DO. THAT IS THE TALENT POOL THAT WE HAVE TO FILL. THESE JOBS OF THE FUTURE INCLUDING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND THE COMPUTER SCIENCE NEED THAT WE HAVE IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT IT IS MANDATORY FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE COMPUTER SCIENCE AND 44 COUNTRIES. IN THE UNITED STATES, IT IS ONLY OFFERED IN 51% OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. WE HAVE A LOT TO DO. LET ME MOVE QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE A DISTINGUISHED PANEL THAT I WANT TO INTRODUCE. I WANT TO OFFER YOU FOUR KEYS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR BEING SUCCESSFUL IN COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION. NUMBER ONE IS YOU CAN DO IT THROUGH YOUR COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION OR YOUR SECRETARY OF EDUCATION OR BY EXECUTIVE ORDER AS AN OPTION TO INCREASE COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION. WE CHOSE THE LEGISLATIVE ROUTE, BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A BROADER LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO INITIATE AT AND TO FUND IT. THAT IS THE SECOND ADMONITION I WOULD HAVE IS TO HAVE A DEDICATED FUNDING STREAM. A SMALL STATE LIKE ARKANSAS, IT STARTED WITH $5 MILLION. WE HAVE INCREASED THAT AMOUNT WHICH ALLOWS FOR STIPENDS FOR TEACHERS TO PAY FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IT ALLOWS MONEY FOR STUDENTS IF THEY PASS A COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE AND TEST WELL, THEY GET SOME MONEY OUT OF IT. IT HAS REALLY BEEN HELPFUL. HAVE A DEDICATED FUNDING STREAM. HAVE A STATE OFFICE AND A DEDICATED OFFICE YOUR TOUR COMPUTER SCIENCE. WE HAVE THAT IN ARKANSAS. THEN, LEAD AND IT. YOU HAVE TO BE OUT THERE OR YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION WORKING ON THIS DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THE STORY IN ARKANSAS IS IF YOU ARE A SUPERINTENDENT, DON'T GET A CALL FROM THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR IS ASKING THEM HOW MANY STUDENTS THEY HAVE TAKEN COMPUTER SCIENCE. I DID THAT. LET ME OUTLINE FIVE POLICY GOALS BECAUSE I BELIEVE WHEN YOU HAVE AN INITIATIVE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO MEASURE. THE GOALS ARE FIRST OF ALL WE WANT AS A NATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOLS OFFERING COMPUTER SCIENCE. SECOND, WE WANT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF GOVERNORS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR GOVERNORS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE. BELIEVE WE HAVE 15 NOW. WE WANT TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF STATE FUNDING FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION. WE CAN MEASURE THAT. WE WANT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STATES REQUIRE AT LEAST ONE COMPUTER SCIENCE CREDIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE THREE. I HOPE WE CAN CONVENE AGAIN AND MEASURE PROGRESS. TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. IT NEEDS TO BE FOR EVERYONE. IN SUPPORT OF THIS INITIATIVE, WE WILL HAVE THREE REGIONAL ROUNDTABLES THAT SPEND TIME ON THIS TOPIC IN OUR SUMMER MEETING. WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO DENVER. GREAT TO BE THERE TO TALK ABOUT COMPUTER SCIENCE. WE WILL ALSO BE IN BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS AND IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. I HOPE YOU WILL EITHER BE THERE OR SEND SOMEONE REPRESENTING HER STATE. THEN, WE ALSO AT THIS WINTER MEETING THE NGA WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU A DRAFT COMPACT FOR GOVERNORS TO REVIEW. IT WILL BE FOCUSED ON COMMITTING TO EXPAND ACCESS TO COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION IN OUR STATE. WE WILL UNVEIL THAT STATEMENT WITH THE SIGNATORIES OF THE SUMMER MEETING AS WE CONCLUDE THIS INITIATIVE AT THAT TIME. GOVERNORS CAN LEAD IN THIS AREA. WE HAVE 15 MEMBERS IN OUR GOVERNORS CAUCUS FOR THIS. WE WANT TO GROW THAT AND HELP US. -- YOU CAN HELP US. I HOPE YOU CAN SINCE THE LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT ON MY PART. WE AS GOVERNORS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU AGAIN. FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS. I ALWAYS GET CHOKED UP WHEN I TALK ABOUT COMPUTER SCIENCE. [LAUGHTER] NOW, LET ME INTRODUCE A REAL FRIEND OF THE NGA. FORMER GOVERNOR THAT MAKES US VERY PROUD TO WORK WITH HER WHO IS NOW THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE. WE LIKE TO SEE GOVERNORS MOVE INTO THOSE POSITIONS. SECRETARY WERE MONDO -- RAIMONDO HAS AGREED TO HEAD THIS PANEL. PLEASE COME UP. [APPLAUSE] BEFORE YOU HAVE THE MICROPHONE, THERE IS GOING TO BE A VIDEO ABOUT THIS COMPUTER SCIENCE INITIATIVE. THEN, IT IS ALL YOURS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LEAVING THIS PANEL TODAY. [VIDEO CLIP] WILL IT BE AMERICAN STUDENTS WHO LEARN TO CODE OR WILL INDUSTRY THE REQUIRED TO GO OVERSEAS TO FIND THE TALENT WE NEED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES? (music)

MY INITIATIVE IS K-12 COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION. THE NEED HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOBS WILL GROW BY 11% AND A COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJOR CAN EARN UP TO 40% MORE THAN THE AVERAGE COLLEGE GRADUATE. ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WHO STUDY COMPUTER SCIENCE BASICS OUTPERFORM THEIR PEERS IN READING AND WRITING. THE CONCLUSION IS THAT COMPUTER SCIENCE OR CODING IS NOW A FOUNDATIONAL PART OF EDUCATION. THE GOAL OF THIS INITIATIVE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT U.S. STUDENTS CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AND WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY UPON SKILLED WORKERS FROM OVERSEAS OR THE OTHER OPTION IS OFF SHORING TECHNOLOGY JOBS. IT TAKES A GOVERNORS TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS. IT TAKES NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND A NEW DIRECTION IN EDUCATION. FOR THOSE REASONS, I AM INVESTING MY TIME IN AN INITIATIVE THAT WAS IMPORTANT AND IS IMPORTANT FOR ARKANSAS, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ACROSS-THE-BOARD FOR OUR COUNTRY. THE OPTION THAT I ADVOCATE IS THAT WE PRODUCE THE TALENT RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. [APPLAUSE]

GOOD MORNING. I CAN SEE SOME MANY FAMILIAR FACES. BEING A GOVERNOR IS STILL THE BEST JOB AND AMERICAN POLITICS. WHEN I WAS GOVERNOR, ASA AND I PARTNERED ON THIS TOGETHER. PROVIDING COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION TO YOUNG PEOPLE IS BIPARTISAN. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS. IT IS ABOUT CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, CLOSING THE OPPORTUNITY DIVIDE, AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERY YOUNG PERSON HAS THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO GET A JOB NOW. MODERN JOBS, INNOVATION JOBS. I GIVE YOU A HUGE AMOUNT OF CREDIT. I WOULD GIVE YOU ANOTHER YEAR IF IT WERE UP TO ME. THE STATISTICS THAT YOU JUST SHARED HER EXTRAORDINARY. IT JUST SHOWS WHEN THE GOVERNOR FOCUSES ON SOMETHING AND PRIORITIZES SOMETHING, YOU CAN HAVE RESULTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I AM CONTINUING THE WORK OF CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN MY NEW ROLE AS SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, THERE IS $65 BILLION DEDICATED TO DELIVERING BROADBAND. HIGH SPEED AFFORDABLE BROADBAND TO EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN. THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT IS THE DEPARTMENT PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE BROADBAND INITIATIVE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN EVERY ONE OF YOUR STATES WHO DON'T HAVE BROADBAND. PARTICULARLY THOSE OF YOU WITH RURAL PLANS, TRIBAL LANDS, ALL OF YOU. THIS IS ALSO BIPARTISAN. I VERY MUCH WANT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY FOR GOVERNORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT EVERY STATE IS DIFFERENT. WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU. IN ADDITION TO THE MONEY TO LAY FIBER AND BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THERE IS ALSO A DIGITAL EQUITY INITIATIVE. THAT IS TO PROVIDE DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING, COMPUTERS, HARDWARE. I WOULD SAY TO YOU START INKING ABOUT THIS NOW. I HAVE ANOTHER SESSION LATER THIS AFTERNOON I HOPE YOU CAN COME AND GET INTO THE DETAILS. 50% OF PEOPLE LIVING ON TRIBAL LANDS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND. ONE THIRD OF AMERICANS LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND. THERE IS NO RURAL RHODE ISLAND, IT IS A CITY STATE. TECHNICALLY, THERE IS FIBER EVERYWHERE, BUT FOR MANY, IT IS UNAFFORDABLE. THAT'S WHERE THE EQUITY COMPONENT COMES INTO IT. START THINKING NOW ABOUT WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR YOUR STATE TO BRING HIGH-QUALITY AFFORDABLE BROADBAND AND CONNECT EVERYBODY. THE MISSION IS THAT EVERYBODY IS COVERED. I AM JOINED THIS MORNING BY THREE UNBELIEVABLE LEADERS OF AMERICAN BUSINESS EACH OF WHOM I KNOW AND I HAVE HAD THE ABILITY TO GET TO KNOW. EACH OF WHOM IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY BOYS AND GIRLS PEOPLE OF COLOR PEOPLE OF LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND COMPUTERS TECHNOLOGY AND SCHOOL SKILLS. I COULDN'T BE MORE HONORED TO HAVE EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

I AM THE CEO OF BEST BUY. THE LARGEST SPECIALTY ELECTRONICS RETAILER IN THE U.S.. IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY.

JULIE, CEO OF ACCENTURE.

I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE TOPIC. WE SEE THE CREATION OF TALENT IN THE U.S. AS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENTS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WE APPRECIATE BEING INCLUDED IN THIS IMPORTANT DIALOGUE. WE HAVE OVER 60,000 PEOPLE IN THE U.S.. WE HIRE ROUGHLY 10,000 PER YEAR. WE ARE A GLOBAL COMPANY. TODAY, WE ARE ACUTELY AWARE OF THE SECURITY, THE FOCUS ON TALENT ACROSS INDUSTRY AND ACROSS THE GLOBE AND THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL IN THE U.S.. I'M EXCITED TO BE PART OF THIS DIALOGUE.

CEO OF LAND O LAKES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INITIATIVE AND LEADERSHIP IN THIS CRITICAL AREA. THE SECRETARY NOTES WE HAVE BEEN A DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT THIS WILL TAKE. LAND O LAKES IS A FARMER OWNED COOPERATIVE. ONE HER YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS PAST YEAR. WE RETAIN FARMER OWNERSHIP. OUR MEMBERS AND A LOT OF OUR BUSINESS THAT WE DO ACROSS THE UNITED STATES INCLUDING SOUTH AFRICA, CHINA, MEXICO, CANADA, OUR BUSINESSES TOUCH 10,000 PLUS RURAL COMMUNITIES. WE STARTED THE AMERICAN CONNECTION PROJECT WHICH IS ALL ABOUT AWARENESS ADVOCACY ACTION ABOUT MAKING SURE BROADBAND ACCESSIBILITY IS CENTRAL TO POLICY AND ALSO ACTION IS TAKEN TO CLOSE THIS DIGITAL DIVIDE.

WE WILL HAVE SOME DIALOGUE HERE THEN WE WILL THROW IT OVER TO YOU GUYS TO ASK QUESTIONS. BETH, YOU HAVE HAD -- YOU HAVE BEEN A VOCAL ADVOCATE FOR BROADBAND. YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY. YOU HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THINK THIS IS SO IMPORTANT AND WHAT YOU SEE AMONG SMALL FARMERS AND HOW THEY HAVE BEEN MISSING OUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE BROADBAND.

I SPOKE WITH THE CEO IN 2018 AND I AM ALWAYS OUT OF THE COUNTRY WITH OUR MEMBERS. I CONTINUALLY REMIND FOLKS THAT AMERICAN FARMERS, 90 PLUS PERCENT OF FARMS ARE STILL FAMILY OWNED. THESE ARE FAMILIES. 90% FARMERS MAKE MOST OF THEIR INCOME OFF OF THE FARM. THESE TECHNOLOGY JOBS ARE CENTRAL NOT JUST TO FARM EFFICIENCY BUT TO THE FUTURE OF JOB CREATION. WHEN I WAS NAMED CEO, I WAS OUT WITH OUR MEMBERS AND WHILE WE ARE BASED IN MINNESOTA, WE ARE CROSS THE COUNTRY. I SEE THESE ISSUES IN THE SOUTHEAST, AND MOST RURAL COMMUNITIES. A LACK OF OPPORTUNITY. JOB CREATION LAGS. ROADS AND BRIDGES DETERIORATING. CLOSURE OF RURAL HOSPITALS. EDUCATION OUTCOMES, FOLKS NOT GOING TO COLLEGE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION. 78% OF COUNTIES IN AMERICA THAT ACCESS FOOD INSECURE -- THERE IS A LACK OF HOUSING. I AM A GIRL FROM IOWA. THESE ARE PLACES I HAVE BEEN IN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. WHAT I WOULD NOTE WITH ALL OF THOSE ISSUES, WHAT WAS FOUNDATIONAL IS THAT THE ACCELERANT FOR CHANGING THIS ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY. BROADBAND ACCESS WAS JUST NOT PRESENT. WOULD GO INTO SOME OF THESE FARMS AND IT WAS LIKE THE OLD DAY OF THE RABBIT EARS. YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THE RABBIT EARS SET UP. IT'S SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE. THEY'RE TRYING TO GO NEXT TO A SCHOOL BUS TO ACCESS WIRELESS OR SO THEIR KIDS CAN DO THEIR HOMEWORK ON THEIR PHONE. IT LEAVES US LESS COMPETITIVE AND I DON'T THINK IT IS AN OVERSTATEMENT TO SAY IS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE. HOW DO YOU CREATE JOBS AND HOW DO YOU HAVE FOOD SECURITY FOR A NATION IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE BEST TECHNOLOGY? IF WE AREN'T INVESTING? THIS IS WHERE OUR MEMBERS ARE. WHERE JOBS NEED TO BE CREATED. I CAN GO TO THE LITANY. WHAT WE KNOW IS FOUNDATIONAL HE, WE HAVE TO GET ACCESS. WE HAVE TO GET ROD BAND AVAILABLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES SO THEY CAN STABILIZE AND DO THE WORK THEY NEED TO DO.

THANK YOU SECRETARY RAIMONDO, THANK YOU FOR MODERATING THE POWER. ASA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASS ION AND ADVOCACY. I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS AS WELL, THIS HAS BEEN HELPFUL. COULD YOU SPEAK AND TALK ABOUT THINGS MOVING QUICKLY IN THE CYBER WORLD. HOW THE BLOCK CHAIN IS AFFECTING YOUR BUSINESS IS, HOW DIGITAL CURRENCY AND EVEN THE ONSET OF CRYPTOCURRENCIES ARE AFFECTING YOUR BUSINESS IS AND HOW YOU ARE DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES IN THE MARKETPLACE. I KNOW IT IS A DEEP ISSUE BUT I AM CURIOUS IN AN OVERVIEW SETTING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THOSE ADVANCEMENTS.

DO YOU WANT TO START?

YOU GO.

BLOCK CHAIN WOULD BE THE MOST REZULIN -- RELEVANT TO MY BUSINESS VERSUS CRYPTO OR OTHER AREAS, SO I CANNOT REALLY SPEAK WITH ANY KIND OF AUTHORITY ON THAT. BLOCK CHAIN HAS BEEN A STATEMENT THAT FOLKS ARE IN -- OR AN INVESTMENT THAT PEOPLE WANT FOR SOME TIME BUT IT TAKES A PARTNERSHIP. YOU CANNOT JUST SAY THAT WE ARE INTO BLOCK CHAIN AND THEN KNOW WHAT ELSE IN YOUR CONTINUUM IS INTO BLOCK CHAIN. IT HAS NOT BEEN FOUNDATIONAL OR FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR BUSINESS WITH RETAILERS. FOLKS ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT USING IT AS A WAY TO SHOW FOR INSTANCE IN THE FOOD SUPPLY, IT CAME FROM THIS FARM, IT WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THIS IS HOW MUCH ADDED COST THERE WAS AND ETC.. SO, IT IS MORE OF A QUALITY MEASURE AND THAT WILL GET CONSUMERS CONFIDENCE. STILL, IT IS NOT REALLY EMBEDDED IN THE VALUE CHAIN BECAUSE YOU NEED MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MORE PARTNERS INVOLVED, SO WHILE THERE MIGHT BE MORE DISCUSSIONS OF IT, IT IS NOT CENTRAL, AT LEAST NOT IN THE FOOD SUPPLY. IT IS THOUGHT OF AS POTENTIALLY A MARKETING ADVANTAGE.

I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, WE ARE NOT SEEING AS MUCH ON THE RETAIL SIDE. IT IS ABOUT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PRODUCT ALL THE WAY THROUGH ITS PRODUCTION AND RELEVANT WITH FOOD IN PARTICULAR. FROM THE CRYPTO PERSPECTIVE IT IS ABOUT ADOPTION AND I IS -- AND AS A MEANS FOR PURCHASE. ABOUT $2 BILLION OF PURCHASES WERE ORIENTED IN SOME KIND OF CRYPTOCURRENCY. AND SO, LIKE ALWAYS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ASSESS IS WHEN DO WE GET TO AN ADOPTION LEVEL ACROSS OUR DEMAND PROFILE THAT MAKES IT SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONSIDER HOW TO INTERACT WITH CONSUMERS, BECAUSE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE USING IT. BROADLY, WE ARE NOT QUITE THERE YET AT THE TIPPING POINT, ALTHOUGH IT IS GETTING CLOSER AS MORE CURRENCIES ARE ADOPTED. WHAT IS TRICKY IS THAT YOU HAVE SO MANY, EACH PRETTY VOLATILE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE RETAILERS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR OWN STATUS MIGHT BE WITH THEIR OWN CURRENCIES AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO TAKE ON THAT AS THEIR NEXT LEVEL OF INNOVATION. I CALL IT BROADLY ACROSS RETAIL IN THE EARLY STAGES BUT LIKE ANYTHING WE WILL TAYCAN'S FROM CONSUMERS AND AS WE SEE THEM READY TO INTERACT WE NEED TO BE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN THEREFORE THEM.

WE ARE PRETTY MUCH OUT OF TIME. GOVERNOR GORDON I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU LAST WORD.

THANK YOU, AND A GREAT PANEL. WYOMING BEING THE HOME OF SOME OF THE PIONEERING STUFF ON BLOCK CHAIN AND FOR DIFFERENT CURRENCIES, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ON THAT. REALLY, MY CONCERN IS THAT AS WE DEPLOY ALL OF THIS AND ON THAT POINT ABOUT FLEXIBILITY WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE. AS WE DEPLOY THIS AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS WILL DEPRECIATE. IN THOSE MARKETS WHERE YOU KNOW THE COMMANDMENT -- THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE TO BUILD OUT FIBER AND NETWORK, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THAT, SO THAT IN A FEW YEARS TIME WE DO NOT END UP WITH THE SAME KIND OF INEQUITIES THAT WE HAD BEFORE. THOSE MARKETS DID NOT GET SERVED FOR A REASON, AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE MARKETS SUPPORTED OVER TIME?

LET ME SAY TWO THINGS. I WAS INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATING THE BROADBAND COMPONENT OF THE LAW WITH CONGRESS AND AS A FORMER GOVERNOR I FELT STRONG THAT FLEXIBILITY WAS NECESSARY FOR THE REASON THAT YOU SAID. YOU ALL HAVE BROADBAND INEQUITIES IN YOUR STATE AND THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN EVERY STATE SO THE SOLUTION HAS TO BE DIFFERENT. I WANT EVERYONE OF YOU TO STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH ME AND MY TEAM AS WE GO THROUGH THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS -- THAT EVERY STATE WILL HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN THAT SPEAKS TO THE NEEDS IN YOUR STATE, AND SO I CANNOT SAY THAT ENOUGH. TECHNICALLY A HUGE PART OF THE REASON THAT ISP AND OTHERS DO NOT SERVE EVERY COMMUNITY IS BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT BEEN MONEY TO BE MADE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES IF WE ARE REALLY HONEST ABOUT IT, WHICH IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS $55 BILLION, SO WE NEED TO ALL STRUCTURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE ENOUGH OF AN INCENTIVE FOR ISPS AND OTHER PROVIDERS, MUNICIPAL PROVIDERS, CO-OPS, NONPROFITS, ETC. TOLEDO FIBER OR DO THE WIRELESS OR DO THE TECHNOLOGY IN THESE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNTOUCHED, AND THAT IS THE CHALLENGE BEFORE US, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TOO WILL BE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. IN ORDER TO GET THIS MONEY, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT SKIN IN THE GAME THEMSELVES AND ENSURE TO US THAT THEY WILL REACH THESE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MORE EXPENSIVE TO REACH AND THEY WILL DO SO BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE PLANS AS WE GO FORWARD. SO, THAT IS AN EXCELLENT POINT AND A KEY PRINCIPLE OF THE WHOLE WAY WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT.

WE ARE OFFICIALLY OUT OF TIME, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT PANEL, PLEASE JOIN ME AND THANKING THESE THREE AMAZING WOMEN. [APPLAUSE] I WILL SAY THIS, NOT -- YOU REALLY ARE MODELS OF CORPORATE LEADERS WHO ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB LEADING YOUR COMPANY'S VERY SUCCESSFULLY AND MAKING TIME TO BE PATRIOTIC AND CYNICALLY MINDED AND WE ARE ALL BETTER OFF FOR IT. THANK YOU. WE WILL GIVE THE LAST WORD TO YOU. GOV. HUTCHINSON: WHAT AN INCREDIBLE PANEL, SECRETARY, YOU MAKE US PROUD AS A FORMER GOVERNOR AND IN YOUR LEADERSHIP ROLE NOW AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT GOVERNOR'S FACE, AND EACH OF THE PANELISTS YOU HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB. THANK YOU FOR GIVING UP YOUR TIME TODAY, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF CORPORATE LEADERSHIP. THIS IS AMAZING THE INTEREST IN THIS. I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION THAT IN YOUR BRIEFING BOOK THERE SHOULD BE THE DRAFT CONTACT, AND I KNOW HOW PEOPLE ARE HESITANT, BUT I LOOK OVER THERE AND GOVERNOR SUNUNU HAS READ IT AND HE IS ALREADY SIGNING HIS LIFE AWAY. OR HIS FREEDOM, IT IS A COMMITMENT, IT IS SAYING WE WANT TO SUPPORTS COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION AND WE HAVE FOR NOT -- PRIORITY IS. I THINK THAT ALL OF YOU WILL SEE THAT AS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT. IT TAKES A COMMITMENT. WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, AND THEN I REMIND YOU THAT THE DATES ARE MARCH 16 AND 17TH IN BENTONVILLE AND IN BOSTON IT IS MAY 18 AND 19. YOU MIGHT GO WITH THOSE DATES FOR OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE. I KNOW WE ARE HUNGRY, LET US GET THE PANEL ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE]

THE JOB. -- GOOD JOB. [INDISTINCT CHATTER] [CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT NATIONAL CABLE SATELLITE CORP. 2022] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY. VISIT NCICAP.ORG] [INDISTINCT CHATTER]