How DoD Spends Its Contracting Dollars, and More from CRS
The Department of Defense spends more money on contractors than all other federal agencies combined, a new report from the Congressional Research Service explains.
“This report examines (1) how much money DOD obligates on contracts, (2) what DOD is buying, and (3) where that money is being spent.” See Defense Acquisitions: How and Where DOD Spends Its Contracting Dollars, April 30, 2015.
Relatedly, a provision in the pending FY2016 defense authorization bill would require the Government Accountability Office to “carry out a comprehensive review of the processes and procedures for the integration of intelligence into the Department of Defense acquisition process.” (HR 1735, section 1630).
Other noteworthy new reports from CRS that Congress has withheld from regular public disclosure include the following.
Corporate Tax Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS): An Examination of the Data, April 30, 2015
Tax Expenditures: Overview and Analysis, April 30, 2015
An Introduction to Health Insurance: What Should a Consumer Know?, April 30, 2015
International Investment Agreements (IIAs): Frequently Asked Questions, April 30, 2015
International Air Service Controversies: Frequently Asked Questions, May 4, 2015
Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations, April 29, 2015
What’s the Difference? — Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data, May 4, 2015
Major U.S. Arms Sales and Grants to Pakistan Since 2001, May 4, 2015
Americans are paying too much for almost everything, because the United States has long treated its trucking industry as an artifact to be preserved rather than as an opportunity for innovation.
These ideas aim to advance the detailed policy solutions needed to foster public trust and implement fairness in the adoption of AI across diverse domains, from healthcare and government benefits to rural access, education, and worker protections.
The evidence is clear: algorithmic pay-setting is established in app-based work, and payroll/timekeeping failures show how software can produce systemic wage harm at scale
While a few states have taken steps to implement decision-making mechanisms for certain AI systems, too many leaders are simply accepting narratives about AI’s purported public benefit at face value – jumping to the “how” of AI implementation before thoroughly vetting potential systems and deciding whether they are appropriate to use at all.