Artificial Intelligence for the Legislative Branch
Information-sharing and best practices for automated technologies in the Legislative branch
Artificial Intelligence for the Legislative Branch
POPVOX Foundation developed the following resources tailored to the use of GenAI in Congressional workflows to help Members, Congressional staff, and Legislative branch agencies understand and responsibly deploy these tools.
We view this as essential for Congress to combat its “Pacing Problem” (the lag between technological advancements and the laws and regulations governing them) and to operate more efficiently, better serving constituents.
If your office would like to learn more or schedule a briefing, please contact us.
Resources for Congressional Staff
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Comparing AI Adoption in the US Congress to Legislatures Worldwide
November 22, 2024
Despite initial progress, Congress risks falling behind international counterparts in adopting automated technologies. To keep pace, it should develop a cohesive AI strategy, invest in staff training, remove barriers to using modern tools, and enhance global collaboration.
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Where the House and Senate are on Internal AI
September 27, 2024
While debates continue across Capitol Hill on approaches to regulation of artificial intelligence, institutional offices within the House of Representatives and Senate are taking steps to prepare for the impending paradigm shift.
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AI-Augmented Operations
September 17, 2024
Our guide outlines opportunities for AI-tool integration across multiple workflows common to elected representatives at all levels and highlights best practices and common pitfalls.
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Flash Report: Artificial Intelligence Strategy & Implementation
July 31, 2024
This is part of a series of reports the Committee on House Administration has releasing on artificial intelligence strategy and implementation in the House of Representatives over the course of 2024.
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Flash Report: Artificial Intelligence Strategy & Implementation
April 17, 2024
This is part of a series of reports the Committee on House Administration has releasing on artificial intelligence strategy and implementation in the House of Representatives over the course of 2024.
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Understanding and Using AI as a Congressional Intern: Tools and Tips from Congressional Experts
March 11, 2024
POPVOX Foundation and the Capitol Hill Intern Association hosted a panel discussion exploring actionable tips for utilizing free AI tools to enhance the work of Congressional interns.
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The Modern Intern: 3 Steps for Working in Congress with GenAI
March 11, 2024
A cheat-sheet for Congressional interns to equip them with a roadmap of how to stand out and be innovative interns without accidentally slipping into any GenAI pitfalls.
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Sample AI Prompts for Congressional Staffers
February 14, 2024
POPVOX Foundation and the Foundation for American Innovation have released a guide designed to help Congressional staffers integrate artificial intelligence into their workflows.
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Representative Bodies in the AI Era Vol. 1
January 9, 2024
The definitive guide for the US Congress and legislatures around the world on adopting AI to modernize their internal operations and address the “pacing problem.” The report includes international use-case scenarios and recommendations to inform responsible AI deployment.
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Representative Bodies in the AI Era: A Roadmap for Legislatures
January 9, 2024
This companion piece to Representative Bodies in the AI Era Vol. 1 offer a short synopsis of recommendations legislatures can take now to responsibly adopt AI.
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Unleashing Efficiency: Leveraging AI in Legislative Operations
December 19, 2023
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.
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Flash Report: Artificial Intelligence Strategy & Implementation
December 18, 2023
This report is the fourth in a series of flash reports the Subcommittee on Modernization is releasing on artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and implementation in the House of Representatives.
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The Senate Issues Guidelines for Responsible Internal AI Usage
December 14, 2023
The Senate’s authorization of 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.
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A Comms Staffer’s Beginner’s Guide to AI
November 20, 2023
This discussion included an overview of the House approved tools and guidance, best practices for your comms team and office to adopt, use cases to get your creative juices flowing, and tips, tricks, and recommendations for how GenAI can take your comms shop to the next level.
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A Legislative Staffer’s Beginner’s Guide to AI
November 20, 2023
This discussion included an overview of the House approved tools and guidance, best practices for your Leg. Shop and office to adopt, use cases to get your creative juices flowing, and tips, tricks, and recommendations for how GenAI can take your LA work to the next level.
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A Congressional Office’s Guide to Establishing a Generative AI Internal Use Policy
November 14, 2023
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 offices to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
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Flash Report: Artificial Intelligence Strategy & Implementation
November 14, 2023
This report is the third in a series of flash reports the Subcommittee on Modernization is releasing on artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and implementation in the House of Representatives.
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Keeping Pace with AI: The Legislative Branch Charges Forward in Second Flash Report
October 20, 2023
A new flash report provided a noteworthy update on the wide range of AI advancements and accomplishments occurring within the House and across the entities that support it.
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CAO: Only ChatGPT Plus Chat Bot Authorized for Use with Non-Sensitive Data, Research and Evaluation
June 23, 2023
In an e-Dear Colleague, the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer indicated that House offices using ChatGPT are only authorized to use the ChatGPT Plus version of the product.
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AI Tools for the Congressional Workplace
April 21, 2023
Demand Progress, the Foundation for American Innovation (formerly Lincoln Network), and POPVOX Foundation held a briefing for Congressional staff — in cooperation with House Digital Services — to open a discussion on the use of new AI tools in the legislative branch workflow.
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House Digital Service: Join Our AI Working Group
April 6, 2023
In an effort to make it easier for House offices to understand and explore AI, the House Digital Service invited Member offices to join the AI Working Group.
Media Explainers, Blog Updates, & Op-Eds
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Politico: An AI Valentine
February 14, 2024
Hill staff received a valentine of sorts from POPVOX Foundation and FAI hoping to drive efficiency on Capitol Hill: a tutorial on how to use AI to jumpstart key tasks like writing Dear Colleague letters, drafting social media posts and creating one-pager summaries.
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Brennan Center: Congress Must Keep Pace with AI
February 8, 2024
This essay from the Brennan Center for Justice's Dr. Maya Kornberg and POPVOX Foundation's Marci Harris and Aubrey Wilson explains how Congress is being proactive on AI but much more is needed so it doesn’t fall behind.
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NextGov/FCW: How Congress is gearing up to take advantage of generative AI
February 6, 2024
Generative AI has the potential to help Congress improve internal operations, inform policy and even improve trust in the institution via increased transparency.
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Standing Room Only: House Administration’s Must-Watch Hearing on AI in Congress
January 31, 2024
On January 30, the Committee on House Administration welcomed witnesses from Legislative branch agencies to a packed committee room for updates on how their organizations are innovating with AI.
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The Washington Times: AI on the Hill - Lawmakers ponder how hot new technology can help
January 30, 2024
The House of Representatives is exploring its own generative AI model for internal use, as Congress looks for ways to use new tech tools to overhaul its work.
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Tech Policy Press: US Congress Moves to Take Advantage of AI
January 29, 2024
The US Congress has been at the forefront of embracing AI. This proactive approach sets the US apart as a world leader in adopting innovative technologies within the legislative branch.
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The Washington Times - Laying down the law: World’s legislatures embrace AI — with reservations
January 18, 2024
Artificial intelligence is infiltrating the political world as national legislatures work to adopt new technology tools and ensure lawmakers are in charge of the machines rather than the other way around.
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Washington Post: Congress, Lagging on AI Rules, May be Ahead of the Curve on AI Use
January 9, 2024
According to a new report, Congress is ahead of some of its peers in figuring out how to use the technology for its own work.
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FedScoop: House ‘flash report’ on AI signals capacity gains
September 18, 2023
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.
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Roll Call: Promise or Peril? AI May Offer Both to Congressional Staff
April 27, 2023
Roll Call article covering the AI Tools in the Congressional Workplace briefing, co-hosted by POPVOX Foundation, the Foundation for American Innovation (formerly the Lincoln Network) and Demand Progress.
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The Sunday Show: Of Legislators and Large Language Models
March 4, 2023
The Sunday Show podcast featuring Zach Graves, Executive Director of Lincoln Network, and Marci Harris, CEO and co-founder of POPVOX.com, on the risks and benefits of emerging AI tools in the legislative branch.
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Tech Policy Press: Bots in Congress - The Risks and Benefits of Emerging AI Tools in the Legislative Branch
February 8, 2023
Tech Policy Press article written by Zach Graves, Marci Harris, and Daniel Schuman on the risks and benefits of emerging AI tools in the legislative branch
Additional Resources
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Recommendations for ModSub’s Hearing on GAO Modernization
September 20, 2023
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.
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Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models
September 4, 2023
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.
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Legislating for (and with) AI featuringSamuel Hammond
September 15, 2023
Samuel Hammond, Chief Economist at the Foundation for American Innovation, shared a presentation about how AI will transform political institutions.
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Fifth Congressional Hackathon
September 14, 2023
POPVOX Foundation’s Deputy Director, Anne Meeker, presented a prototype demonstrating how artificial intelligence could help caseworkers better serve constituents.
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Ensuring Caseworker Expertise is Considered in Discussions of How Agencies Will Use AI
July 12, 2023
How can the Federal Government effectively and responsibly leverage AI to improve Federal services and missions?
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Large Language Model x Law: Hackathon
June 25-27, 2023
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.
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AI in Congress Staff Roundtable
April 21, 2023
POPVOX Foundation Executive Director Marci Harris presented background information on recent LLM developments, with a suggestion for a “tiered” approach and timeline for the use of automated technologies in the legislative branch.
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LLMs & Law featuring John Nay
June 9, 2023
John Nay, Ph.D. shared a presentation of the evolution of LLMs and his work to create a Large *Legal Language Model (LLLM) trained on legal data and potential applications within the lawmaking process
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How AI Can Enable Outcomes-Driven Legislation
July 3, 2023
POPVOX Foundation Executive Director Marci Harris will present on “How AI Can Enable Outcomes-Driven Legislation” at the international research workshop on "AI in Parliaments" in Friedrichshafen, Germany, organized by The Open Government Institute of Zeppelin University in cooperation with the network of the Hellenic OCR Team.