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 President Barack Obama 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 neurality draft order was released. "The announced action by FCC chairman Genachowski, building on the work of chairman [Rep. D. Calif Henry] Waxman's collaborative effort to craft legislation in this area, advances this important policy priority."
