Rep. Will Hurd, a three-term Republican congressman from Texas and vocal proponent of modernizing the technology and processes used by federal agencies, announced Thursday he will not be seeking a fourth term.
In a post on his Congressional website Thursday evening, Hurd cites many pressing issues facing the nation: the economic struggle with China, the race for dominance in artificial intelligence, increases in cyberattacks, and the crises in Central America that have led to an influx of migrants seeking asylum at our borders.
“After reflecting on how best to help our country address these challenges, I have made the decision to not seek reelection for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas in order to pursue opportunities outside the halls of Congress to solve problems at the nexus between technology and national security,” he wrote.
In the post, Hurd—a former CIA undercover agent with a background in IT—lists some of his most cherished accomplishments. Among them: Making “sure taxpayer money was used more efficiently by changing how the government purchases IT goods and services.”
Hurd noted federal IT acquisition isn’t the sexiest topic—a refrain he had said many times before, including last year on Nextgov’s Critical Update podcast.
“I always say, ‘IT procurement is not a sexy topic,’” he said in the July 2018 interview. “I don’t think anyone’s ever held a parade in honor of IT procurement. But it is something that could ultimately change the way the government operates. It’s the way that we’re going to ensure the federal government is spending its money wisely.”
Hurd sponsored or worked on many federal IT-related bills, the most significant being vocal lawmaker federal issues reelection
