MIT Technology Review – “The decision locks libraries into an ecosystem that is not in readers’ interests. Congress must act. I was raised in the 1980s and ’90s, and for my generation and generations before us, the public library was an equalizing force in every town, helping anyone move toward the American dream. In Chantilly,… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Category Archives: Congress
In Tied Presidential Race, Harris and Trump Have Contrasting Strengths, Weaknesses
“Ahead of the scheduled Sept. 10 presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the presidential race is deadlocked. About half of registered voters (49%) say if the election were held today, they would vote for Harris, while an identical share say they would back Trump. With less than two months… Continue Reading
History of abortion ballot measures
BallotPedia: “As of September 9, 2024, 11 statewide ballot measures related to abortion were certified in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Nevada, and South Dakota for the general election ballot in 2024. This is the most on record for a single year. Since the 1970s, abortion-related policies have been a topic… Continue Reading
Armed and Underground: Inside the Turbulent, Secret World of an American Militia
ProPublica: “Last February, some 20 men and their wives gathered for dinner at an upscale restaurant in Spokane, Washington, for their annual Valentine’s Day celebration. The men weren’t just friends; they did community service work together. They had been featured on local television, in khakis and baseball caps, delivering 1,200 pounds of food to an… Continue Reading
What Happens If Election Officials Refuse to Certify Results?
Democracy Docket on YouTube: “With reports of pro-Trump election officials gearing up to refuse to certify results should Trump lose, the certification process has become a major concern among voters as we heard toward the upcoming election. Sophie Feldman explains how the certification process works and what happens if election officials refuse to certify.” Continue Reading
Survey of Americans’ Online Security Top Concerns & Problematic Habits
US News – Data Privacy Paradox: “Americans are increasingly aware of the dangers lurking online and worry about the risks of data breaches, cyber attacks, ransomware, and more. The fears are well-founded. Already in the first months of 2024, a rash of data breaches has exposed potentially sensitive information of millions of people. One report… Continue Reading
NO FAKES – A Dream for Lawyers, a Nightmare for Everyone Else
EFF: “Performers and ordinary humans are increasingly concerned that they may be replaced or defamed by AI-generated imitations. We’re seeing a host of bills designed to address that concern – but every one just generates new problems. Case in point: the NO FAKES Act. We flagged numerous flaws in a “discussion draft” back in April,… Continue Reading
Please register to vote and then vote
Register to vote in your state | Vote.gov Register to vote or update your registration – Once you register, you can vote in national, state, and local elections. Select your state or territory to begin Continue Reading
U.S. Congress Legislative Status Steps Image added to Congress.gov
In Custodia Legis: “July was a great month for Congress.gov. Robert shared news of our first release of the month and I blogged about the second. Andrew Reiter detailed how we modernized treaty documents. Cassidy Charles discussed all of the appropriations information on Congress.gov and highlighted the new appropriations resources video. With today’s release there is… Continue Reading
What Elected Officials Say and Do
Polarization Research Lab – America’s Political Pulse – Resources and data to understand and halt the growth of partisan animosity. What Elected Officials Say and Do – Explore data on the speech, effectiveness, and campaign support for elected U.S. legislators. Using AI to assess the rhetoric of all 535 legislators in the House and Senate.… Continue Reading
In November 2024, everything is at stake
“The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate. That’s a quote from Thomas Jefferson, and it’s super-relevant to our situation today. Our schools aren’t doing enough to create an educated electorate, and most of our journalists are doing a terrible job. This is terrifying, because the 2024 elections could be the… Continue Reading
Climate Deniers of the 118th Congress
“The Center for American Progress has periodically analyzed statements by sitting members of Congress to determine whether they deny the existence of human-caused climate change. This analysis of the 118th U.S. Congress found that 123 elected officials are climate deniers—23 percent of 535 total members. These 100 representatives and 23 senators wield significant influence on… Continue Reading
