Senate confirms Chopra as federal chief technology officer

The nomination of Larry Strickling to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration stalled Thursday, while another technology nominee did secure Senate approval: Aneesh Chopra, the federal government's first chief technology officer. He will work out of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Chopra's confirmation came as the Obama administration launched several initiatives aimed at increasing openness and accountability. A new online hub will build on President Obama's open government directive, which he outlined on his first day in office, while a new site, Data.gov, will provide the public raw feeds of government information.