“This event has a history of generating change. In 2011, as a result of the first Hackathon, Congress opened its databases so that anyone could access information about the Members who represent them as well as the bills, amendments, reports, and votes that impact their districts. As a result of the 2015 Hackathon, Congress modernized its committee hearings by creating a central calendar and a repository for video streams, testimony, and documents. Critically, Hackathon participants also recommended allowing committee witnesses to testify virtually, which was eventually put into practice at the start of the pandemic.

“Another major Hackathon success was the creation of a new web form for constituents to open casework inquiries and use an electronic signature to give consent for the sharing of their information for the purposes of federal casework.  Before this change, whenever a constituent needed a Member’s help with a federal agency, he or she had to sign this privacy release physically and then scan or fax it back to the Member’s office. This was a source of frustration for both Congressional staff and the general public, and it demonstrated our need to adapt to a digital world. I’m proud that my office was the first to implement this solution and that more than half of Members are using it today. These events produced real change, and I am glad that our Hackathons are truly bipartisan.

“I want to thank my co-host, Republican Leader McCarthy, for his work on this Hackathon and for our successful collaboration in the past.  While we come from opposite sides of the aisle, we both want to ensure that Congress continues to adapt and modernize to serve the American people in our digitally connected world.

“Today, America’s talented digital innovators will engage with Members, staff, and advocates to generate more brilliant ideas. As Majority Leader, I’ve been proud to help bring the Democratic Caucus up to date with the latest technology so we can better deliver results for our constituents. My office oversees an intensive digital training program, the Digital Academy, which has graduated over 150 staffers. We also manage 'DemCom', our Caucus’s official i