Generative AI Use Policy: A Template for Congressional Offices

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Introduction

This template is a starting point and should be customized for each office's specific needs, institutional requirements, and operational context. Consult with House Information Resources or Senate Sergeant at Arms for the latest institutional guidance before implementation.

[Highlighted] sections indicate what needs to be customized by an office that adopts this template.

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[Office Name] Generative AI Use Policy

Last Updated: [Date]

Contents

• Purpose and Scope

• Policy Philosophy

• Prohibited Uses

• Best Practices

• Compliance

• Knowledge Sharing

• Training and Support

• Acknowledgement Agreement

• Appendix

Purpose & Scope

This policy establishes guidelines for the responsible use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools in [Office Name] to enhance productivity, improve constituent services, and support legislative work while maintaining security, privacy, and ethical standards. This policy supplements and must be read in conjunction with guidance from [House Information Resources/Senate Sergeant at Arms] and all applicable institutional policies.

Policy Philosophy

Our office embraces innovation and recognizes GenAI as a powerful tool to enhance our work serving constituents and advancing legislative priorities. Rather than restricting creativity, this policy establishes clear boundaries and best practices to ensure responsible use while encouraging exploration of beneficial applications.

Prohibited Uses

GenAI tools MAY NOT be used for:

• Replacing human judgment on:

  • Policy positions or voting decisions

  • Constituent service case resolutions

  • Hiring or personnel decisions

  • Final editorial decisions on public-facing content

• Processing personally identifiable information (PII) including but not limited to:

  • Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses

  • Constituent case details or personal information

  • Financial information or account numbers

  • Health information or medical records

  • Immigration status or documentation details

• Handling classified or sensitive information including:

  • Committee confidential materials

  • Draft legislation not yet public

  • Internal strategic discussions or sensitive political information

  • Security protocols or office procedures

  • Staff personnel information

  • Private email correspondence

• Creating misleading content such as:

  • Deepfakes or manipulated media

  • False statements attributed to the Member or other officials

  • Deceptive social media content

  • Fabricated quotes, statistics, or sources

Best Practices

Before using GenAI:

• Verify the tool is approved by institutional IT guidance set by [House Information Resources / Senate Sergeant at Arms]

• Assess the sensitivity of information you plan to input and cross reference the use case with the above restrictions outlined in this document

• Consider the purpose and ensure it aligns with office goals

During use:

• Never input sensitive information - when in doubt, don’t include it

• Use general examples instead of specific constituent cases or political scenarios

• Iterate and refine prompts for better results

After use:

• Always fact-check outputs - GenAI can produce inaccurate references, incorrect citations, and completely falsified information

• Edit and personalize AI-generated content to reflect office voice

Compliance

• Individuals are responsible for the content they produce, use, and sign-off on

• Staff must report suspected misuse of GenAI tools

Knowledge Sharing

Staff are encouraged to participate in office-wide information sharing of GenAI use cases and lessons learned. Such insights are vital contributions to the team’s overall awareness and understanding of these tools’ applicability in the Congressional workplace.

Training & Support

All staff are strongly encouraged to pursue training on the use of GenAI tools.

Acknowledgment: I have read, understood, and agree to comply with this Generative AI Use Policy.

Staff Member: _____________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________

Appendix

Recommended Use Cases

While not exhaustive, beneficial applications of institutionally approved GenAI tools may include:

• Research and Analysis:

  • Background research on policy topics

  • Summarizing public documents and reports

  • Analyzing trends in public data

  • Generating research questions and frameworks

• Communications Support:

  • Drafting initial versions of newsletters

  • Creating social media content ideas

  • Developing talking points frameworks

  • Editing and improving writing clarity

• Administrative Efficiency:

  • Meeting agenda creation

  • Email template development

  • Event planning assistance

  • Training material development

• Constituent Services:

  • Developing FAQ responses (using public information only)

  • Creating resource guides for common issues

  • Drafting template responses (without PII)