Category: US Senate

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced a bill to require transparency of the federal government’s use of artificial intelligence (AI). The bill would require federal agencies to notify individuals when they are interacting with or subject to decisions made using certain AI or other automated systems. The bill also directs agencies to establish an appeals process that will ensure there is a human review of AI-generated decisions that may negatively affect individuals.

“Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our federal government, but we must always keep security, privacy, and any unintended consequences in mind before we turn any process or decision over to a computer,” said Lankford. “The federal government can and should thoughtfully integrate new technology to help improve customer service for Americans. But agencies should be transparent about when, where, and how we are interacting with AI to ensure continuous oversight and accountability for how these tools impact Americans.”  

“Artificial intelligence is already transforming how federal agencies are serving the public, but government must be more transparent with the public about when and how they are using these emerging technologies,” said Peters. “This bipartisan bill will ensure taxpayers know when they are interacting with certain federal AI systems and establishes a process for people to get answers about why these systems are making certain decisions.”

“No American should have to wonder if they are talking to an actual person or artificial intelligence when interacting with the government. The federal government needs to be proactive and transparent with AI utilization and ensure that decisions aren’t being made without humans in the driver’s seat,” said Braun.

The federal government is already using AI to interact with and make decisions about the public, and use of these systems is only expected to grow. While AI systems can help improve government efficiency, they can also pose risks if deployed improperly. People who unknowingly interact with AI can often be confused or frustrated by how or why these systems make certain determinations. The Senators’ bill will increase transparency of the government’s AI use and provide increased opportunities for the public to appeal decisions that may be inaccurate or biased. 

The bill requires the Director of Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance to agencies to implement transparency practices relating to the use of AI and other automated systems. This guidance would direct agencies to notify individuals when they are interacting with certain automated systems. It would also require agencies to notify individuals when a critical decision is made about them using an augmented decision process. Finally, the guidance would instruct agencies to establish human review appeals processes for individuals who receive an adverse critical decision made using an augmented critical decision process.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Transferring Illicit Assets to Ukraine Act. This bipartisan legislation would allow the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to transfer more forfeited Russian assets to Ukraine.

“It is critical Ukraine is able to protect their country against Russia’s unjustified and illegal invasion,” said Rounds. “By providing Ukraine with the necessary tools to defend themselves, we are helping to defend democracy. This bipartisan legislation paves an effective and efficient way for Ukraine to receive seized assets, which further strengthens their ability to fight back against Russian aggression.”

“Defeating Putin and supporting the Ukrainian people against this ruthless and unjust war must remain our top priority,” said Manchin. “This bipartisan legislation will authorize the DOJ to expand its ability to seize Russian assets and send them directly to Ukraine for defense and rebuilding. I am committed to bringing this legislation across the finish line to reaffirm our long-term commitment to the Ukrainian people and our leading role in the fight to defend democracy.”

Under current authority, the DOJ can only transfer assets to Ukraine that are forfeited from violations of select Russia-related sanctions. The first and only use of this authority occurred in February 2023, when Attorney General Merrick Garland authorized a transfer of $5.4 million forfeited from a sanctioned Russian oligarch. With expanded authority from Congress, the DOJ could transfer far more assets from bad actors to support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom. This legislation would allow the DOJ to transfer assets forfeited from violations of a wider range of economic countermeasures, such as export controls.

Specifically, the Transferring Illicit Assets to Ukraine Act would:

• Expand the DOJ’s existing authority to apply to the proceeds of forfeited assets from any sanction or export control involving Russia or Belarus related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (including the 2014 invasion of Crimea).  
• Require a report from the Attorney General, Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State outlining a plan for using this new authority.
• Require semiannual reports from these same entities on the use of this authority for the benefit of Ukraine.

Click HERE for full bill text.

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WASHINGTON – The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) program, one of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) core entrepreneurial development programs, has faced challenges in maintaining high performance. There also have been observations of resource inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement in the program’s outreach efforts to certain populations.

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) announced their plan to reauthorize SCORE to meet the needs of today’s dynamic economy and improve support for female and rural business owners. The SCORE Act of 2023 would modernize and ensure that the program reaches its full potential.

“Our bill will bring the SCORE program into the modern era of entrepreneurship, enhancing the essential role of mentorship by revamping it as focused, certified coaching,” said Senator Young. “By ensuring continuous improvements in performance, we can open up new opportunities for rural and urban communities alike, solidifying SCORE’s role as America’s leading incubator for business mentorship and innovation.”

“Like many government efforts, SBA’s SCORE mentorship program is a well-intentioned idea with poor payout and performance. Simply put, we need SCORE to do MORE for our female and rural entrepreneurs as they face rising inflation and other challenges in Biden’s economy,” said Senator Ernst. “Revamping this program to be more efficient and effective through improved services will support job growth, boost our local communities, and help more entrepreneurs achieve their dream.”

The SCORE Act of 2023 revamps SCORE by:

1. Amending the acronym of the current Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) program, and replacing it with Supporting Coaching Opportunities for Resilient Entrepreneurs (SCORE);
2. Retooling mentors as coaches and establishing a coaching certification program, which intends to ensure that all coaches participating in SCORE have an up-to-date knowledge of modern business practices and e-commerce;
3. Expanding online counseling services, including webinars and online toolkits to support entrepreneurs;
4. Ensuring coaches and employees undergo annual performance reviews, with action required in the event they fail to meet performance standards;
5. Requiring the current SCORE cooperative agreement to be recompeted every five years to ensure the contract awardee is an organization well equipped to provide fundamental, modern, and relevant business training to individuals in both rural and urban areas;
6. Forming the National Women’s Business Coaches (NWBC), which would oversee a “Coach-Match Program” to pair individuals with appropriate SCORE coaches through online and in-person events;
7. Examining how well SCORE is serving rural communities through a GAO study to identify rural SCORE chapters and to examine the efficacy of performance standards;
8. Serving to diversify the SCORE program by recruiting women business leaders to join SCORE as coaches; and,
9. Sunsetting the SCORE program four years after enactment, subjecting it to reauthorization thereafter.

More information on the SCORE Act of 2023 can be found here.

This week, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure foreign U.S. government employees who have provided exceptional service to our nation abroad have a secure and efficient path to immigrate to the United States, along with their families. For the first time in this program’s history, eligible employees, including those who risk danger if they remain in their home countries, currently have to wait an estimated 14 years between qualifying for and receiving a visa. The Senators’ Granting Recognition to Accomplished Talented Employees for Unwavering Loyalty Act (GRATEFUL) Act will cut the years-long wait time to receive visas that these employees and their family members now face.

“The United States counts on foreign nationals with deep knowledge of their home countries to help us carry out essential operations abroad, and in the process, they often risk their lives through civil unrest, natural disasters, and war. After they complete careers of long and exceptional service, it’s our duty to continue to provide them the opportunity to live safely in America with their families. This legislation will help ensure we support those who endured great risk to help advance U.S. missions abroad,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“US employees abroad are on the front lines of our foreign policy objectives, and the GIV program is a long standing incentive for recruiting and retaining talent,” said Senator Tillis. “The GRATEFUL Act will ensure we are able to keep our commitment to exceptional employees who serve the US, and to keep our nation safer.”

A one-page summary on the issue and the bill is here. Bill text is available here.

Background on the GRATEFUL Act

In 1952, Congress created a visa category to recognize U.S. government employees abroad for their service to the United States. For 70 years, this program has allowed foreign nationals with at least 15 years of exceptional service to the United States to immigrate with their families. During their careers, these employees risk their lives year after year through civil unrest, terrorism, natural disasters, and war – underscored in May 2023 when three local employees were brutally murdered in the line of duty in Nigeria. Their work is foundational to our foreign policy and ensures the safety and well-being of U.S. citizens, provides security and logistics for U.S. officials, and supports operations abroad. The GRATEFUL (Granting Recognition to Accomplished Talented Employees for Unwavering Loyalty) Act renames this the Government Employee Immigrant Visa (GIV) program, and this program provides a unique incentive to hire and retain employees abroad.

In the 1990s, U.S. government employees abroad were placed in the Employment Based Fourth Preference (EB4) immigrant visa category. Out of a total of 140,000 employment visas available annually, the EB4 category is numerically limited to 7.1% of the overall allocation – around 9,940 per year. Over the years, EB4 became a catch-all category for a wide range of immigrants such as religious workers, retired employees of international organizations or NATO civilian employees, certain physicians, Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ), and Panama Canal workers.

For the first time in its history, this program is in jeopardy. As a result of the growing demand for other visa classifications in the EB4 category, there is a backlog of over 118,000 EB4 cases – thus visas are not immediately available to retiring U.S. government employees abroad. Applicants must wait an estimated 14 years between qualifying for and receiving a visa, meaning employees who work a full career and retire at 65 may not be able to begin the visa process until they are nearing their 80s.

The GRATEFUL Act preserves visa availability for U.S. government employees abroad by repurposing the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) visa offset, an existing carve-out from the Diversity Visa (DV) program created in 1999 that is sparsely used today. Since 1999, NACARA has offset 5,000 visas per year from the DV program, and usage has dwindled to about 150 per year. This bill redirects 3,500 visas in FY2024, and 3,000 visas each year after into the GIV program. This will not add to overall visa numbers. In testimony on June 7, 2023, the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs stated that the passage of this bill is a top priority for the State Department.