POPVOX Foundation Report Reveals How AI Can Transform Congressional Operations
Representative Bodies in the AI Era provides an overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have been gradually adopted in the legislative workflows of parliaments globally over the past decades.
Northeastern’s CivicConnect Team Builds Congressional Office Chatbot Prototype
Northeastern students have built the first Congressional office chatbot prototype. The customizable, open source bot (CivicConnect) can learn from office documents to craft responses to constituents aligned with the representative’s policies. The CivicConnect team developed CivicConnect to streamline communication, reduce response times, and handle high volumes of correspondence.
How I came to DC in 1998 and created a fellows program to help Congress leave the Cold War behind
Georgetown’s Lorelei Kelly chronicles her experience setting up and managing a fellowship program at the start of the new millennium — in hopes that others can learn from that experience.
2023: A Monumental Year for POPVOX Foundation
As we take stock of an eventful year, we see significant progress in Congressional capacity — much of it under the radar and out of the headlines. We at POPVOX Foundation have been hard at work on our mission to make government work better for everyone, and are proud of what we have accomplished in 2023.
Foundation for American Innovation and POPVOX Foundation Create Guide to Using AI in Your Congressional Office
The Foundation for American Innovation and POPVOX Foundation created a short guide for Capitol Hill staff to the risks and benefits of AI tools, and best practices for their smart and safe adoption.
International Legislative Modernization Working Group Discusses Constituent Outreach
Participants from the International Legislative Modernization Working Group gathered to discuss existing initiatives that promote constituent outreach, including Mexico’s Portal Ciudadano and Chile’s Congreso Virtual.
The Senate Issues Guidelines for Responsible Internal AI Usage
The US Senate’s guidance, authorizing the use of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Bing Chat AI, and Google’s Bard for research and evaluation purposes, is a notable step in the institution’s experimentation of how AI-enabled tools can augment staff capacity, boosting productivity and efficiency.
ICYMI: Empowering Legislative Staff with AI on Capitol Hill
POPVOX Foundation and R Street Institute recently hosted an introductory discussion on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the workflows of Congressional legislative staff. The event included an overview of current institutional guidance and featured insights from prior Hill staff and policy experts.
ICYMI: Embracing AI in Congressional Communications
POPVOX Foundation and R Street Institute hosted an introductory discussion on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the workflows of Congressional communications staff. The event included an overview of current institutional guidance and featured insights from communications experts.
POPVOX Foundation welcomes Madeline Pira
POPVOX Foundation welcomes new intern Madeline Pira. Maddie is a sophomore majoring in Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU).
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on diagnosing problems with Congressional casework
Don Moynihan, McCourt Chair at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, has pioneered the study of administrative burden, including new language and frameworks to understand the types of costs associated with navigating complex bureaucracies. This webinar offered caseworkers a deeper understanding of the root problems behind common casework inquiries, and ideas for tracking types of casework and articulating casework challenges to policy staff.
Choosing the Next Comptroller General: Shaping the Future of Government Accountability
The next Comptroller General must possess qualifications ranging from financial auditing expertise to a deep understanding of modern Congress and emerging science and technology issues. This decision will shape the GAO's future, ensuring it remains an innovative, efficient, and indispensable partner for a responsive and accountable modern Congress.
The Hill (Opinion): How to curtail the tradition of violence between members of Congress
Recent incidents of violence on Capitol Hill bring to light a historical pattern of aggression among lawmakers. What are the roots of congressional violence and how can we foster a safer, more respectful and productive legislative environment?
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on championing implementation vs. policy
Every government program starts with good intentions—it’s how they’re carried out that can make them fail in big ways or in small ways that add up. In this webinar, Jennifer Pahlka discussed how caseworkers and other frontline implementation experts can and must leverage that expertise to reimagine government service for the 21st century.
A Congressional Office’s Guide to Establishing a Generative AI Internal Use Policy
Generative AI is advancing at an incredibly rapid pace. House and Senate offices should be clear about their internal office guidance and encourage staff to think innovatively about how GenAI can be used across their DC and district office teams to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on what happens when federal benefits programs collide
In this Casework Navigator webinar, Max Ghenis discussed the nuances of navigating the complex web of interacting federal benefits programs and the experience of building PolicyEngine.
Salute to a ModCom Hero
As we reflect on Rep. Derek Kilmer's decision not to seek re-election, we acknowledge and honor the significant impact of his 11-year service in the House — his commitment to modernizing Congress and to bridging the partisan divide.
Congress of the Future: Better District Office Leasing
Investing in responsive, high-functioning district operations enables Congress as an institution to better serve the American people. The GSA is well-positioned to provide improved consistency, security, and cost savings when it comes to district offices.
Beyond Tech: Insights from the International Legislative Modernization Working Group
Modernization goes beyond applying technological advancements to the legislative process. Rather, it also involves modernizing other components of what makes a legislative body work, such as rethinking committee work, staff training, and retention efforts.
New Member Orientation: Successful Onboarding for a Modern Legislature
A robust, effective onboarding program is essential for newly elected Members to be impactful out of the gate in representing their constituents and to operate effectively within an increasingly complex institution. This report provides an overview of how traditional NMOs have been organized, structured, and hosted, and proposes creative alternatives for how this onboarding experience can be improved.