Overview of the Chinese Military, and More from CRS
“From 2005 through 2014, China’s official military budget increased at an average rate of 9.5% per year in real terms, allowing the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] to improve its capabilities in many dimensions,” says a newly updated report from the Congressional Research Service based on open sources.
“The question of how the United States should respond to China’s military modernization effort is a central issue in U.S. defense planning and foreign policy. Congress’ decisions on this issue could affect U.S. defense strategy, budgets, plans, and programs, and the U.S. defense industrial base,” the CRS report said. See The Chinese Military: Overview and Issues for Congress, March 24, 2016.
Other new and newly updated products from the Congressional Research Service that Congress has withheld from online public distribution include the following.
What’s the Difference? — Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data, updated March 24, 2016
Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress, updated March 25, 2016:
President Obama’s Historic Visit to Cuba, CRS Insight, March 25, 2016
U.S. Trade Concepts, Performance, and Policy: Frequently Asked Questions, updated March 25, 2016
Commemorative Days, Weeks, and Months: Background and Current Practice, March 25, 2016
The Federal Budget: Overview and Issues for FY2017 and Beyond, March 24, 2016
Public Trust and Law Enforcement–A Brief Discussion for Policymakers, updated March 22, 2016
Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress, updated March 23, 2016
European Security and Islamist Terrorism, CRS Insight, March 23, 2016
Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons, updated March 23, 2016
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.
When properly structured — with specific numeric targets, secured financial obligations, independent monitoring, and meaningful enforcement — CBAs transform data center deals into durable community partnerships.