If this same person was deciding to spend 3-4 hours a day watching Netflix or playing basketball, this would not even be a question. He has a life outside of Congress and I see nothing wrong with using it to further his education.

Representatives have to do both, represent the interest of their voters, but also legislate on all sort of national topics, from financial regulations to defence matters. So it is very reasonable for a member of congress to become a specialist on a topic that may be of critical importance to the country one day. I wish more would have done that in the 90s when the internet and personal computers started being a big thing.

Maybe they don't mind him spending a few hours on it each day after he's done with work and would rather he have this more knowledgeable take on relevant legislation.

I'm his constituent and I don't mind at all. I think having some free time is crucial to performing well at all jobs and if he chooses to spend that time on coursework that could give him greater insight into Congressional policy then more power to him.

No.

Being a Congressman not only means attending to his local issues and policies.

It also means helping create federal and state policies, regulations, being member of national committees, etc.

And there are going to be more such bodies in the near future centered around technology and AI.

It's laudable that he is keeping himself updated and informed.

Remember the judge who learned Java? It's like that.

He represents VA-08, which is basically 90% defense contractors, systems integrators, and technology consultants — there’s a reason he’s chair of Space and Aeronautics — so arguably this is right in his constituents’ wheelhouse.

To be more specific, his district includes the “National Landing” development which will include Amazon’s HQ2 and a Virginia Tech “innovation” campus, as well as the Thomas Jefferson magnet high school, the CIA, the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir… and many surrounding neighborhoods.

I got a pretty big "local boosterism" subtext out of the quotes he gives to the reporter, which is also a traditional role of federal representatives. Lots of playing up how excited he was about the AI innovation going on in his district and NoVA in general. Says that visiting two local AI sites is what inspired him to do the masters: "an AI company in Arlington" and "George Mason’s new Innovation Initiative in Arlington". Now he's doing a masters at George Mason, which is the closest university to his district (he's in VA-08, and it's in the neighboring VA-11).