Federation of American Scientists

The United States’ biosecurity governance system is structurally incapable of detecting and responding to certain classes of threats. U.S. biosecurity tools have not kept pace with technological advancements or a changing threat landscape. The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) unanimously recommended creating a consolidated, dedicated capability to address this structural failure.

For generations, the American science and technology enterprise has been a quiet engine of prosperity and security that has long enjoyed strong public support. American research and development has helped cure diseases and keep us healthy. It has powered energy, agriculture, and transportation technologies that are transforming today’s economy. It has helped keep us safe from threats–both military and biological.

Read the full report here The United States federal government invests nearly $150 billion annually in research and development. Four times ($937 billion in 2023, as estimated by NSF) this amount flows from state governments, private foundations, and corporate R&D budgets. These investments are made on the premise that they generate scientific, economic, and social returns. That premise is widely held.

The book Good Strategy/Bad Strategy by Richard P. Rumelt states “Good strategy works by focusing energy and resources on one, or a very few, pivotal objectives whose accomplishment will lead to a cascade of favorable outcomes.” In every retrospective we hosted, participants bemoaned the lack of a strategy and a longer-term theory of change in their work, or “how”, tied to outcomes.

The book Good Strategy/Bad Strategy by Richard P. Rumelt states “Good strategy works by focusing energy and resources on one, or a very few, pivotal objectives whose accomplishment will lead to a cascade of favorable outcomes.” In every retrospective we hosted, participants bemoaned the lack of a strategy and a longer-term theory of change in their work, or “how”, tied to outcomes.

Americans are paying too much for almost everything, and a major driver is the cost of moving freight by truck. While other countries modernize their freight systems, more than 70% of freight by weight in the United States is transported via aging diesel fleets: an expensive habit that’s hitting Americans hard. A first set of costs comes at pumps and registers.

AI systems are rapidly becoming part of the machinery of public life, but they sit on shaky foundations. We have seen AI being deployed for cancer screening, assisting people with disabilities, and even to address complex environmental challenges. Yet as these systems are deployed in increasingly consequential settings, the promise of AI to expand opportunity and increase effectiveness and boost productivity has been accompanied by harms that are no longer hypothetical.

Does this trend require new legislation? Not necessarily, but targeted legislation is often the cleanest way to close emerging gaps. Policymakers can approach AI-mediated pay and scheduling in three lanes: 1. Enforce existing laws now. A large share of the harms described in this memo can already be investigated and remedied under preexisting wage-and-hour enforcement, recordkeeping requirements, civil rights/equal pay law, consumer protection (UDAP), and procurement authority. 2.

How State Leaders Can Put People First in AI Decision-Making is a framework to ask and answer the right foundational questions about artificial intelligence (AI) from the beginning. The public wants the government to take action to ensure the power of AI technology is used for good. In the current political climate, the work of state leaders is critical.

How does a CBA interact with tax abatement or PILOT agreements? CBAs and payment-in-lieu-of-tax agreements must be negotiated together, with a clear understanding of total community obligations, ensuring community investment funds supplement rather than substitute for expected tax revenue. Communities should resist any framing in which CBA contributions are treated as the price for subsidies. What are some successful examples of CBAs being used effectively?