The White House confirmed Friday that Aneesh Chopra was
exiting as the country's first chief technology officer.
"Aneesh found countless ways to engage the American people
using technology, from electronic health records for veterans, to expanding
access to broadband for rural communities, to modernizing government
records," said the president in a statement. "His legacy of
leadership and innovation will benefit Americans for years to come, and I thank
him for his outstanding service."
Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro
praised Chopra for an "impressive legacy," saying that he
"helped spread a culture of transformation through technology and innovation."
Chopra had FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's back on his
effort to craft network neutrality rules.
"President Obama is strongly committed to net
neutrality in order to keep an open Internet that fosters investment,
innovation, consumer choice, and free speech," said Chopra back in
December 2010 when the FCC's net neutrality draft order was released. "The
announced action by FCC Chairman Genachowski, building on the work of Chairman
Waxman's collaborative effort to craft legislation in this area, advances this
important policy priority," he said at the time.
