PopVox – “On Thursday, the House of Representatives did something unusual: it passed a small, bipartisan bill with a substantive and positive impact on policy. The PRESS Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Kevin Kiley [R, CA], Jamie Raskin [D, MD], and eighteen others, is a reporter shield law. The District of Columbia and every state except… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Category Archives: Congress
Politico’s new feature creates AI-generated summaries of federal bills for subscribers
“Politico Pro paid subscribers will now see “thousands more Federal bill summaries” generated by AI. The new Legislative Compass feature delivers both brief and in-depth bill summaries of federal bills, which Politico says should help public policy professionals respond to legislative changes faster. The news comes after Politico’s parent company, Axel Springer, and OpenAI announced… Continue Reading
Why the World Is Betting Against American Democracy
Politico: “When I asked the European ambassador to talk to me about America’s deepening partisan divide, I expected a polite brushoff at best. Foreign diplomats are usually loath to discuss domestic U.S. politics. Instead, the ambassador unloaded for an hour, warning that America’s poisonous politics are hurting its security, its economy, its friends and its… Continue Reading
Big Tech Won’t Let You Leave. Here’s a Way Out
Wired [read free]: “The platform is the canonical form of internet business: a two-sided market that facilitates connections between end-users and business customers. Uber connects drivers with riders; Amazon and eBay connect sellers with buyers; TikTok and YouTube connect performers with audiences; social media connects people with something to say with people who want to… Continue Reading
The Sad Truth of the FTC’s ‘Historic’ Privacy Win
Wired: “The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached a settlement last week with an American data broker known to sell location data gathered from hundreds of phone apps to the US government, among others. According to the agency, the company ignored in some cases the requests of consumers not to do so, and more broadly… Continue Reading
Abolishing a Federal Agency: The Interstate Commerce Commission
CRS – Abolishing a Federal Agency: The Interstate Commerce Commission, January 10, 2024. “Congress has, from time to time, enacted legislation to discontinue a federal agency and either redistribute or discontinue its functions. Abolishment of an agency or its functions has often been politically challenging because of the potential impact on stakeholders with competing interests.… Continue Reading
Jan. 6 was an example of networked incitement
Via LLRX – Jan. 6 was an example of networked incitement. The shocking events of Jan. 6, 2021, signaled a major break from the nonviolent rallies that categorized most major protests over the past few decades. What set Jan. 6 apart was the president of the United States using his cellphone to direct an attack… Continue Reading
Special counsel probe uncovers new details about Trump’s inaction on Jan. 6
ABC News: “Special counsel Jack Smith’s team has uncovered previously undisclosed details about former President Donald Trump’s refusal to help stop the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol three years ago as he sat watching TV inside the White House, according to sources familiar with what Smith’s team has learned during its Jan. 6 probe.… Continue Reading
White House for Sale: How Princes, Prime Ministers, and Premiers Paid Off President Trump
Staff Report Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Democratic Staff, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member. U.S. House of Representatives, January 4, 2024 “Donald J. Trump’s businesses received at least $7.8 million from 20 foreign governments during his presidency, according to new documents released by House Democrats on Thursday that show how much he received from overseas… Continue Reading
A New Kind of AI Copy Can Fully Replicate Famous People
Politico – The Law Is Powerless. “…AI-generated digital replicas illuminate a new kind of policy gray zone created by powerful new “generative AI” platforms, where existing laws and old norms begin to fail. In Washington, spurred mainly by actors and performers alarmed by AI’s capacity to mimic their image and voice, some members of Congress… Continue Reading
AI in Banking and Finance, December 16, 2023
AI in Banking and Finance, December 16, 2023 – This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government reports, industry, NGO/IGO white papers, academic papers and speeches on the subject of AI’s fast paced impact on the banking and finance sectors. The chronological links provided are to the primary sources, and as available, indicate… Continue Reading
Archival Records of Congress: Frequently Asked Questions
CRS – Archival Records of Congress: Frequently Asked Questions Updated December 7, 2023 – “Congressional offices and committees receive, generate, and process many paper and digital files in the course of their work. Archivists preserve some of this historical material, which can help inform future Congresses and researchers studying congressional history. This report is intended… Continue Reading
