By Michael Fletcher

J.C. Watts Jr. was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994, winning 52 percent of the vote in an overwhelmingly White Oklahoma district. He has been elected by even larger majorities in three subsequent elections and has emerged as one of the most visible members of Congress.

His 1996 speech at the Republican National Convention, his 1997 response to President Clinton's State of the Union Address, and his honorary cochairmanship of the 2000 GOP Convention all have helped to make Watts -- the only Black Republican in Congress -- virtually a household name.

Watts serves as chairman of the House Republican Conference, one of the top leadership positions in Congress. He also is a member of the Armed Services Committee and its Military Readiness and Procurement subcommittees.

One of college football's greatest quarterbacks, Watts led the University of Oklahoma to two Orange Bowl victories before playing professionally in Canada. Married and the father of five, Watts, 43, defies simple political labels. He is a strong advocate of "family values" (a conservative favorite) but also supports affirmative action. He has been an outspoken supporter of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and was vocal in his support of Black farmers who faced discrimination in the federal government's loan programs.

US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine recently sat down with Watts in his Capitol office overlooking the National Mall to discuss his unusual brand of politics, particularly as it relates to high-tech issues.

USBE: Last year, you led the formation of a task force to address issues concerning historically Black colleges and universities. Have any significant technology-related initiatives come out of it?

Watts: We appointed that task force because we think it is important that America understand the important role that HBCUs play. We hope to be able to improve funding in the top 25 areas of concern to those schools. We are improving funding for Pell grants, TRIO programs http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/trio and other initiatives that have a particularly strong impact on HBCUs. It has been a good process and given us a relationship to build on.

USBE: How much work needs to be done to get the HBCUs up to speed in this area? Is there anything besides giving money for infrastructure that the federal government can or should do to help?

Watts: Look across the United States, and look at the number of students who, say, have computers in their rooms. If you look from Oklahoma University, my alma mater, to Langston University [an HBCU], there is a great disparity. That disparity is often described as the "Digital Divide," but it can also be a digital opportunity. I was in Silicon Valley recently with Dr. [Frederick H.] Humphries, president of Florida A&M University. I also was in Austin, Texas recently with some high-tech executives. I think there is a real opportunity to get the underserved community together with those who have the resources. The computer people can help us significantly in this area.

USBE: Should this be the work of government or private industry?

Watts: Both. I think public-private partnerships are important in this area. I have worked with Gateway Computers, Dell Computers to get them to target schools in very distressed areas. I have worked with the federal General Services Administration to provide computers to some schools in my district. I think it works best when you have both private and public people at the table.

USBE: Recent surveys have shown that a very small percentage of HBCU students have their own computers. Why do you think that is? Is it a matter of finances or awareness?

Watts: Well, I think there needs to be more education on both sides: among students and among computer companies who have this resource. It used to be only that if a kid couldn't read, write, do arithmetic, they can't compete. Now, it is if a student can't read, write, do arithmetic, and have computer skills, he cannot compete. The importance of exposing students to information technology has never been greater. It helps them realize the need to have access to computers. Having computers available in libraries and schools helps tremendously. But in my talks with computer industry people, I found that they were not always aware of where the needs are. We have to say, "Dell, Gateway, Microsoft, here's the need. Here's how you can assist people who need greater access to technology."

USBE: Do you foresee a larger role for churches in providing technical training for African-American communities through the faith-based programs supported by President Bush?

Watts: Faith-based community development has been a major force in America for years and will continue to grow. But we shouldn't just be concerned about feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and clothing the naked. We have to have a technology piece as well. My wife just bought an old school, the old Booker T. Washington School, in our hometown. If the building proves to be sound, we hope to have a faith-based organization that will expose kids to computers.

USBE: States are moving away from needs-based to merit-based financial aid for higher education, a policy change that mainly benefits middle-income students. Have you given any thought to the impact this will have on HBCUs, whose student populations rely heavily on financial assistance?

Watts: I haven't really looked at it in that light. Our community is only as strong as its weakest link. And HBCUs do a great job in strengthening our entire country. I'm willing to bet that Langston University graduates as many Black students as the three largest universities in Oklahoma combined: Tulsa, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma. That is a tremendous resource, not just to the Black community but to the entire state. Let's not retreat from that effort; let's build on that effort. How do we build on that effort? We have to focus on not just getting students to places like Langston, but also on getting them to stay beyond the first semester or the first year. When you look at default rates for college loans, the numbers are very deceptive. The reason we have such a high default rate is that too many students are dropping out after the first semester or first year. We need to improve the levels of grants, and we've raised the Pell Grant limit. We also are strengthening programs like TRIO, which provide mentoring and guidance to students to help them make the adjustment to college. 

USBE: You sit on the Military Procurement Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee. What do you think of reports indicating that small, female, and minority contractors are losing ground in federal procurement contracting? Do you think that these contractors' e-business readiness has anything to do with this slide, or is it caused by changes in government policy?

Watts: You'd find some of both. You'd probably find more on the side of the ledger where the government often ends up working against people's participation in programs. I used to be in the real estate business, and we'd try to do business with the government's Resolution Trust Corp. But it was burdensome and difficult. After about 16 or 18 months, I said, "No more." There is just too much bureaucracy. If you have 100 contractors applying for a program and two or three get work, something is wrong with that process. Why is it that it is excluding 97 percent of the people? A lot of times, the answer has to do with too many burdensome rules, too much bureaucracy, and a lack of common sense. In the end, that winds up excluding rather than including people. 

USBE: Many in the media identify you as the point man for a new Republican outreach to minorities, particularly African Americans. Is this an accurate description? Do you resent it? Has this been a difficult role for you politically, given the demographics of your mostly White congressional district?

Watts: One thing that I always remember is that I should never get used to having the word "congressman" in front of my name. That way, I can always speak my mind. I don't like to use labels like conservative, liberal, or whatever. I don't ever want to be afraid to look at new solutions to old problems. The press, they have to cordon you off in a corner. "He's a Black Republican." Through the years, I've been attacked by the Left. But I've been attacked as much from the Right. People say, "You're not conservative enough." Others say, "You're not Black enough." I've been criticized by the NAACP, but I've also been criticized by the John Birch Society. I don't consult the John Birch Society before I vote. I don't consult the NAACP when I vote either. Despite the fact that my district is 82 percent White, 9 percent Black, and the rest other, I'm willing to defend the fact that the most comprehensive community development legislation in recent years was authored by J.C. Watts. I have fought to have the brilliant minds at the National Institutes of Health to explore why J.C. Watts has a higher chance of contracting diabetes than [House Speaker] Dennis Hastert. It gets back to what I say: We are as strong as our weakest link. I think that it is important that we focus some of our resources on strengthening weaker segments of our community. In the end, that makes the whole society stronger. I like to think I've helped make that case to my Republican colleagues. But the labels are not important. In the end, I think the record speaks for itself.

Michael Fletcher can be reached at MFletcher@ccgmag.com