July 23, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 23, 2021

Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov 

Rep. David Trone and Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves Visit Montgomery and Frederick Counties, Speak with Local Leaders about Post-COVID Recovery and Broadband

Congressman David Trone and Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves at the National Cyber Security Center of Excellence

FREDERICK, MD — Today, U.S. Congressman David Trone (MD-06) and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves toured the National Cyber Security Center of Excellence in Gaithersburg, MD and Kite Pharma in Frederick, MD with the Maryland Technology Council to speak with local leaders about post-COVID recovery and how the infrastructure plan in Congress would contribute to building our economy back better. 

Trone and Graves held a roundtable discussion following the tours with a group of local elected officials, business leaders, and broadband experts in the community where they discussed economic recovery following COVID-19 and increasing access to broadband. 

Participants of the roundtable included: 

• David Trone, U.S. Congressman, Maryland’s 6th District
• Don Graves, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce 
• Marty Rosendale, Chief Executive Officer, Maryland Tech Council
• Rick Gordon, Director, Maryland Broadband Office
• Paul Edwards, Chairman, Garrett County Board of Commissioners
• Rick Weldon, President & CEO, Frederick County Chamber of Commerce
• Jan Gardner, Frederick County Executive
• Carmen Larsen, President and Chair of the Board, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Montgomery County
• Ben Wu, President & CEO, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation

“We must do everything in our power to ensure that the road to recovery from COVID-19 involves all levels of government, which is why I was honored to tour the National Cyber Security of Excellence and Kite Pharma with Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves as well as local elected officials and private sector leaders to learn about the innovation happening right in our district,” said Rep. David Trone. “It is no secret that COVID-19 has devastated the business sector, but with important infrastructure investments from the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress, as well as competent leadership at the local level, we can continue to build back better than we were before.”

“I want to thank Congressman Trone for inviting me to his district today and for the great leadership at a local level. The clear thread and the reason these communities have seen success is the notion of collaboration and partnership between the business community and government of all different levels,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “At the Department of Commerce and our bureau, the Economic Development Administration, we are encouraging communities to work together instead of competing with one another. That’s the only way we are going to get our economy where it needs to be as we build back better in an equitable and inclusive way.”

“We are pleased that NCCOE is headquartered in Montgomery County and we are appreciative of the work they do to protect the personal and business data around the world,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Their development of  advanced encryption technology is impressive as well as the work they are doing to secure information on mobile devices, laptops, hospital infusion pumps equipment and other medical devices. These innovations are important for our personal and national security and help to bolster our County’s economy

The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) is a collaborative effort by its 472 members to create the leading technology and life science industries in the nation. Participants get the benefit of advocacy, top-tier education, workforce development, and access to the Cost Savings Program. In March, the MTC received a CARES Act grant of $378,000 to continue its mentorship efforts across the region. Gilead Sciences, the owner of Kite Pharma, is a member of the MTC. 

Kite Pharma is a biotechnology company that focuses on the development and manufacturing of cancer immunotherapy products. Their unique technology uses an individual’s own immune system capabilities to target and attack tumors. Kite Pharma recently finished construction on their new state-of-the-art facility in Frederick, Maryland. This new location is expected to bring over 400 new jobs to the Frederick area, accommodating their current manufacturing levels, while also leaving space for future developments. 

Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Appropriations, Veterans’ Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees in the 117th Congress and previously served on the Education and Labor and Foreign Affairs Committees. In Congress, Trone is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the mental health and addiction crises, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.

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