FAS
day one project

Day One 2025

08.20.24 | 1 min read

We sit on the verge of another Presidential election – and we see opportunity for meaningful, science-based policy innovations that can appeal to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. That’s why we launched “Day One 2025” – so we could collect bold policy ideas, grounded in science and evidence, that can tackle the country’s biggest challenges and bring us closer to the prosperous, equitable and safe future that we all hope for. 

For this effort, FAS identified five priority areas where ideas and action are most sorely needed:

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Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Democratizing Hiring: A Public Jobs Board for A Fairer, More Transparent Political Appointee Hiring Process

An open jobs board for political appointee positions is necessary to building a stronger and more diverse appointee workforce, and for improving government transparency.

11.07.24 | 6 min read
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Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Building a Comprehensive NEPA Database to Facilitate Innovation

Analyzing NEPA outcomes isn’t just an academic exercise; it’s an essential step for eliminating the biggest hurdles of the environmental review process.

11.04.24 | 5 min read
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Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Using Home Energy Rebates to Support Market Transformation

Without market-shaping interventions, federal and state subsidies for energy-efficient products like heat pumps often lead to higher prices, leaving the overall market worse off when rebates end.

11.01.24 | 9 min read
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Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Driving Product Model Development with the Technology Modernization Fund

Changing how the program educates, funds, and assesses agencies will build internal capacity and deliver continuous improvement.

10.31.24 | 5 min read
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Global Risk
day one project
Policy Memo
Introducing Certification of Technical Necessity for Resumption of Nuclear Explosive Testing

The U.S. should continue its voluntary moratorium on explosive nuclear weapons tests and implement further checks on the president’s ability to call for a resumption of nuclear testing.

10.25.24 | 5 min read
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Global Risk
day one project
Policy Memo
Protecting U.S. Critical Infrastructure with Resilience Caches of Reusable Respirators

To help protect U.S. critical infrastructure workers, the next presidential administration should ensure ample supplies of high-quality respiratory personal protective equipment.

10.24.24 | 8 min read
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Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Scaling Proven IT Modernization Strategies Across the Federal Government

As data fuels the next transformative modernization phase, the federal government has an opportunity to leverage modern practices to leap forward in scaling IT modernization.

10.22.24 | 11 min read
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Education & Workforce
day one project
Policy Memo
Investing in Apprenticeships to Fill Labor-Market Talent and Opportunity Gaps

To maximize the potential of apprenticeship programs, the federal government should develop a cohesive approach to supporting “apprenticeships of the future,” such as those in cyber, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.

10.21.24 | 9 min read
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Environment
day one project
Policy Memo
Mobilizing Innovative Financial Mechanisms for Extreme Heat Adaptation Solutions in Developing Nations

To address challenges posed by increased extreme heat, USAID should mobilize finance through environmental impact bonds focused on scaling extreme heat adaptation solutions.

09.27.24 | 12 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
GenAI in Education Research Accelerator (GenAiRA)

Congress should foster a more responsive and evidence-based ecosystem for GenAI-powered educational tools, ensuring that they are equitable, effective, and safe for all students.

06.28.24 | 10 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
A Safe Harbor for AI Researchers: Promoting Safety and Trustworthiness Through Good-Faith Research

Without independent research, we do not know if the AI systems that are being deployed today are safe or if they pose widespread risks that have yet to be discovered, including risks to U.S. national security.

06.28.24 | 6 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Update COPPA 2.0 to Strengthen Children’s Online Voice Privacy in the AI Era

Companies that store children’s voice recordings and use them for profit-driven applications without parental consent pose serious privacy threats to children and families.

06.28.24 | 9 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
A National Training Program for AI-Ready Students

What if the concurrent challenges of digital upskilling and teacher shortages could help solve one another?

06.27.24 | 7 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
National Security AI Entrepreneur Visa: Creating a New Pathway for Elite Dual-Use Technology Founders to Build in America

Create a 10-year pilot AI Entrepreneur Visa program for a select group of countries to demonstrate the potential efficacy of the visa.

06.27.24 | 9 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Improving Health Equity Through AI

Urgent policy action is essential to address bias, promote diversity, increase transparency, and enforce accountability in clinical decision support AI systems.

06.27.24 | 11 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Supporting States in Balanced Approaches to AI in K-12 Education

Federal legislation would provide funding for grants and technical assistance to states and districts in planning and implementing comprehensive AI policy-to-practice plans.

06.26.24 | 9 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
An Early Warning System for AI-Powered Threats to National Security and Public Safety

Congress should assign and fund an agency office within the BIS to act as an information clearinghouse for receiving, triaging, and distributing reports on dual-use AI capabilities.

06.26.24 | 8 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Shared Classified Commercial Coworking Spaces

Congress should pass legislation to create a pilot program under the Department of Defense to expand access to shared commercial classified spaces and infrastructure.

06.26.24 | 6 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
A National Center for AI in Education

Congress should establish a National Center for AI in Education to build the capacity of education agencies to undertake evidence-based continuous improvement in AI in education.

06.25.24 | 9 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Message Incoming: Establish an AI Incident Reporting System

Congress should create a voluntary Artificial Intelligence Incident Reporting Hub, inspired by existing public initiatives in cybersecurity.

06.25.24 | 8 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Addressing the Disproportionate Impacts of Student Online Activity Monitoring Software on Students with Disabilities

For decades, assistive technology, ranging from low tech to high tech, has helped students with disabilities with learning. AI tools hold promise for making lessons more accessible.

06.25.24 | 8 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Establish Data-Sharing Standards for the Development of AI Models in Healthcare

NIST should lead an interagency coalition to produce standards that enable third-party research and development on healthcare data.

06.24.24 | 5 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Establish a Teacher AI Literacy Development Program

To establish the NSF Teacher AI Literacy Development Program, Congress should pass a defining piece of legislation that will outline the program’s purpose, delineate its extent, and allocate necessary funding.

06.24.24 | 5 min read
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Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
A NIST Foundation to Support the Agency’s AI Mandate

Congress should authorize the establishment of a NIST Foundation to unlock additional resources, expertise, and strong ethics for AI research.

06.24.24 | 9 min read
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Education & Workforce
day one project
Policy Memo
Enhancing Federal Climate Initiatives: Integrating Tech-Focused Green Jobs for Equity and Innovation

By advocating for the integration of technology-focused green jobs within federal initiatives, there is an opportunity to broaden the talent pool and harness the potential of emerging technologies to tackle pressing environmental issues.

04.26.24 | 21 min read
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Environment
day one project
Policy Memo
U.S. Water Policy for a Warming Planet

Global episodes of extreme heat intensify water shortages caused by extended drought and overpumping. Creating actionable solutions to the challenges of a warming planet requires cooperation across all water consumers.

04.05.24 | 14 min read
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Environment
day one project
Policy Memo
Defining Disaster: Incorporating Heat Waves and Smoke Waves into Disaster Policy

To better incorporate extreme heat and people-centered disasters into U.S. emergency management, Congress and federal agencies should take several interrelated actions.

04.05.24 | 12 min read
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Environment
day one project
Policy Memo
Tracking and Preventing the Health Impacts of Extreme Heat

The undercounting of deaths related to extreme heat and other people-centered disasters — like extreme cold and smoke waves — hinders the political and public drive to address the problem.

04.05.24 | 8 min read
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Environment
day one project
Policy Memo
Leveraging Federal Post-Disaster Recovery Reform for Extreme Heat Adaptation and Innovation

The U.S. must urgently reform its disaster assistance policies to incorporate extreme heat through an amendment to the Stafford Act.

04.05.24 | 10 min read
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Environment
day one project
Policy Memo
A National Framework for Sustainable Urban Forestry to Combat Extreme Heat

The incoming administration should undertake a multi-agency effort to further develop the science and quantify the benefits of urban forests today and into the future.

04.04.24 | 7 min read
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