The Spookiest Season of All
From managing casework and using AI wisely to boosting staff morale this spooky season, the latest Future-Proofing Congress features tips for staying effective during the government shutdown. Plus, insights on House Digital Services’ Case Compass, global AI trends, and upcoming Hill events.
When Legislators Meet AI
Inside the Athens Democracy Forum’s two-day Parliamentary Caucus on technology, trust, and the future of representation
Top 5 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid as a Legislative Staffer Using a GenAI LLM
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can be powerful assistants for Congressional and Parliamentary staff — but only if used correctly. This guide breaks down five common mistakes legislative professionals make when using AI for research, drafting, and casework, and offers practical tips for getting accurate, useful results while maintaining sound judgment and oversight.
On Missing Imagination
Reflections from the Athens Democracy Forum on AI, democracy, and the courage to rethink political institutions
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
This month’s Future-Proofing Congress dives into staff safety, burnout, AI innovation, and small wins that keep the Hill moving forward.
Seeing Parliaments as Spaces and Places
This month’s Modern Parliament highlights global innovations in citizen engagement—from AI ministers and virtual parliaments to the new "Parliament as a Space and Place" guide, cookbooks, and more.
Innovation in Action: Highlights from the 2025 Congressional Hackathon
The 2025 Congressional Hackathon brought Members of Congress, staff, technologists, and students together at the US Capitol for a day of collaboration, big announcements, and inspiring solutions from the next generation of innovators working to modernize Congress.
The Promise of Politics in the Age of AI
At the Global Gathering in Portugal, voices from 144 countries explored AI accountability, digital democracy, and community-driven innovation as part of a renewed vision for politics in the age of AI.
POPVOX Foundation Launches “AI Summer Camp” for Congressional Staff
POPVOX Foundation’s AI Summer Camp aims to encourage Members of Congress and their staff to dedicate meaningful time to explore use cases of institutionally approved LLMs. The project addresses the gap between Congressional offices' curiosity about the benefits and risks of using AI capabilities and the practical challenge of finding time to explore this emerging technology while having fun along the way.
New Resources on AI-Adoption Change Management, Congressional Office AI Use Policies, and Creating Custom GPTs for the Legislative Workforce
New resources designed specifically to help House and Senate chiefs of staff and their teams navigate the responsible adoption of generative AI (GenAI) tools in their daily work.
POPVOX Foundation Key Priorities Included in FY26 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill
The FY 2026 House Legislative Branch Appropriations bill includes key report language backed by POPVOX Foundation, advancing Congressional modernization and support for caseworkers. Wins include expanding the CRS liaison directory, continued development of the Case Compass project, improved data mapping, and institutional training on AI.
The Hill: A year after Loper Bright, Congress has failed to step up (Op-Ed)
One year after the Supreme Court’s Loper Bright decision ended judicial deference to federal agencies, Congress has yet to step up to its constitutional responsibilities. Instead of investing in the expertise and infrastructure needed to legislate effectively, Congress is defunding the very institutions that support it—at a time when precision lawmaking and AI-era governance demand more, not less.
Six institutional wins to mark six months of the 119th Congress
We mark six months of the 119th Congress with six overlooked institutional wins—from expanded staff benefits to GenAI pilots and infrastructure upgrades. This edition highlights how small, intentional improvements are modernizing legislative operations and building a more resilient Congress.
New On-Demand Training, "GenAI in a Parliamentary Setting: Enhancing Productivity for Elected Officials"
"GenAI in a Parliamentary Setting: Enhancing Productivity for Elected Officials" is an introductory training video designed specifically for Members of Parliament who want to understand how commercially available Large Language Models (LLMs) can enhance their work serving constituents.
Introducing "Claude for Legislatures," A New Training Resource for Legislative Staff
"Claude for Legislatures" is a 101-style, on-demand training video designed specifically for legislative and parliamentary staff who want to explore how Anthropic's commercially available large language model (LLM) Claude can enhance their work.
New Training for Reporters on How to Use AI to Boost Congressional Coverage
POPVOX Foundation has released a training video that brings Congressional reporters up to speed on how Capitol Hill uses AI and how journalists can leverage these same tools to enhance their reporting.
Beta Takeaways: Key Lessons on StaffLinkBot.org
First-week observations and next steps for StaffLink, our publicly available, AI-powered chatbot designed with newly hired Hill staff and interns in mind.
Learning Together: A Morning Focused On Tech Innovations Solving Policy Challenges
On April 28, POPVOX Foundation partnered with the Bertelsmann Foundation to host “Learning Together: Technology Solutions for Policy Challenges,” a first-of-its-kind democratic technology showcase that brought together Congressional staffers, international peers, civil society, technology fellows, civic tech builders, and members of the public for networking and inspiration.
Introducing StaffLink: An AI Assistant for Junior Congressional Staff
StaffLink, a new, AI-powered chatbot designed especially for junior Congressional staffers provides immediate guidance on Congressional operations, drawing on publicly available information about Congressional operations.
Committee on House Administration Member Day
Ahead of the Committee on House Administration's upcoming Member Day, POPVOX Foundation offers the following recommendations encouraging Member engagement with CHA to build on previous successes in creating a strong, responsive Legislative branch.