First Meeting of the International Legislative Modernization Working Group
At the first meeting of the International Legislative Modernization Working Group, participants who work in the legislatures of Brazil, Ghana, Mexico, Portugal, and the United States presented recent legislative modernizing initiatives from their countries and identified opportunities for cross-country experience sharing.
Casework is Ready for Innovation
Congressional tech modernizers, innovators, and legislative nerds gathered for the 5th Congressional Hackathon. Hosted by then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and the House Chief Administrative Office, the event focused on ideas and works-in-progress for how tech can streamline Congressional operations and make Congress a safer, more efficient, and more enjoyable place to work.
Congress Celebrates Its Top Cost-Saver, But More Work Remains
The House Administration Committee's Modernization Subcommittee convened another forward-thinking hearing, this time examining how to build on the success achieved by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) while ensuring the agency continues to adapt to a congress in need of faster, fact-based, digestible information.
Recommendations for ModSub’s Hearing on GAO Modernization
POPVOX Foundation applauds the Committee on House Administration’s Subcommittee on Modernization for hosting a hearing focused on GAO’s internal efforts to stay agile in serving Congress and adopt new methods to meet the needs of a modern First Branch.
Op-Ed (FedScoop): House ‘flash report’ on AI signals capacity gains
A new AI report from the Committee on House Administration underscores that Congress is not just looking at how to regulate AI but also working to ensure the responsible use of automated technologies within the legislative branch.
POPVOX Foundation welcomes Connor Lee
POPVOX Foundation welcomes new intern Connor Lee. Connor is a senior at the University of Chicago, where he majors in Political Science and minors in English & Creative Writing.
POPVOX Foundation hosts “Legislating for (and with) AI” event with Samuel Hammond
Samuel Hammond, Chief Economist at the Foundation for American Innovation, shared a presentation about how AI will transform political institutions.
POPVOX Foundation participates in the fifth Congressional Hackathon
On September 14, 2023, POPVOX Foundation’s Deputy Director, Anne Meeker, presented a prototype demonstrating how artificial intelligence could help caseworkers better serve constituents.
POPVOX Foundation, First Branch Intern Project, host Fall “Internapalooza” in Collaboration with the Committee on House Administration
On September 11, 2023, POPVOX Foundation and the organizations of the First Branch Intern Project hosted the seventh “Internapalooza” orientation and welcome event for the Fall class of Congressional interns.
Joint Letter to Chief Administrative Officer of the House in Support of Career Paths Features
As a bipartisan group of organizations working independently to support and encourage Congressional modernization, we commend the Chief Administrative Officer of the House for the development and release of “Career Paths” features within the House of Representatives’ Human Resources Hub (HR Hub).
POPVOX Foundation welcomes Aubrey Wilson as Director of Government Innovation
POPVOX Foundation welcomes Aubrey Wilson as Director of Government Innovation. Aubrey is a bridge-builder and an institutionalist; she is passionate about elevating the good work, innovation and collaboration that happens every day in Congress but rarely makes headlines. She has consistently worked to make government more transparent, accessible and responsive and will continue this work as Director of Government Innovation at POPVOX Foundation.
Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models
This written submission is offered jointly by Westminster Foundation for Democracy and POPVOX Foundation to the UK House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee with regards to its post-legislative scrutiny inquiry of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 (“the Lobbying Act”).
Congressional Intern Diversity
The makeup of the three classes of congressional interns each year can provide clues into the future Capitol Hill workforce.
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on burnout and care for congressional caseworkers
Caseworkers' willingness to go above and beyond to help constituents in distress can easily cross over into burnout and compassion fatigue. In this webinar, experts from the Schwartz Center for Compassion in Healthcare shared their innovative approaches to supporting caregivers facing burnout and trauma in the medical field. Caseworkers explored ways these lessons may be applied to Congressional contexts.
Reflecting on Internapalooza Summer ‘23
In appreciation of National Intern Day, Lauren Fitzgerald, a POPVOX Foundation intern, shared her reflections on Internapalooza Summer ‘23.
POPVOX Foundation Submits Response to the OSTP’s RFI on National Priorities for AI
POPVOX Foundation submitted a response to the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Request for Information (“the AI RFI”) on “National Priorities for Artificial Intelligence” focused on questions related to “bolstering democracy and civic participation” and “innovating in public services.”
POPVOX Foundation Shares a Roadmap for Congressional Casework Data
POPVOX Foundation has issued guidance on the implementation of “Recommendation 172,” drawing upon the POPVOX Foundation team’s technical expertise, personal experience as caseworkers, and ongoing interactions with district staff through the Casework Navigator program.
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar for congressional caseworkers on listening for what’s important
Caseworkers bear witness to the stories of constituents experiencing the federal government, often in the most difficult and intimate moments of their lives. In this session, we took lessons from The Moth-style storytelling to consider what makes a compelling story and what storytelling can teach us about listening. Participants also learned how practicing the skills of a good story-listener or coach can help ground and de-escalate constituents, and how the stories we hear can build support for policy change.
POPVOX Foundation Cosponsors Large Language Model x Law: Hackathon
On June 25-27, POPVOX Foundation will cosponsor the Large Language Model x Law Hackathon in New York City with the open source research community working to build Large Legal Language Models (LLLMs) that better understand (and obey) law and regulations.
POPVOX Foundation, First Branch Intern Project, host second “Internapalooza” of the 118th Congress in Collaboration with the Committee on House Administration
On June 8, 2023, POPVOX Foundation and the organizations of the First Branch Intern Project hosted the sixth “Internapalooza” orientation and welcome event for the spring class of Congressional interns.