How might Hillary Clinton help create new jobs if she becomes president?
Clinton’s tech and innovation agenda, released Tuesday, includes a plan to give entrepreneurs time to get their businesses off the ground by delaying their federal school-loan payments for up to three years. Those who start businesses in “distressed communities” will get a chance to have up to $17,500 in school loans forgiven after five years.
The Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign called her tech agenda “a core component of the jobs plan she will put forward in the first 100 days of her Administration, along with investments in infrastructure, clean energy and manufacturing.”
Clinton’s tech platform also includes her previously mentioned goal of bringing broadband access to every U.S. household by 2020; expanding funding for President Obama’s computer science education initiative; and “engaging the private sector” to train and recruit 50,000 computer science teachers.
In addition, Clinton gives a nod to immigration reform that the tech industry advocates: “As part of comprehensive immigration reform, Hillary would ‘staple’ a green card to STEM masters and PhDs from accredited institutions, and support visas that allow top entrepreneurs from abroad to come to the U.S., build companies, and create jobs for American workers.”
The former secretary of state also expressed support for other issues near and dear to tech’s heart, including net neutrality and patent reform.
Clinton’s campaign statement did not include details about how her plans would be funded.
Early industry reaction to the plan, which the candidate is scheduled to speak about today in Denver and Los Angeles, is positive.
“Any presidential candidate can say they plan to promote job creation,” Ed Black, president and CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association, said in an emailed statement, “but what distinguishes Clinton is her articulation of a platform to provide better trained workers, Internet access, and policies both here and with our trading partners to deliver economic growth.”
The unveiling of Clinton’s tech plan comes after last week’s announcement that she has picked up endorsements from tech industry executives including Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and more.
Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has not yet unveiled a technology agenda.
Photo: Hillary Clinton at the Good Day Cafe in Vallejo, Calif., on June 5, 2016. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
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