On February 16, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Jay Rockefeller presented a proposal to investigate the National Security Agency warrantless surveillance program.
A copy of Sen. Rockefeller’s motion, outlining the scope of the proposed investigation, is here.
But Committee chairman Sen. Pat Roberts blocked a vote on the motion until March 7.
“If, by that time, we have reached no detailed accommodation with the Administration concerning the Committee’s oversight role, it is possible that the Committee may vote to conduct an inquiry into the program,” Sen. Roberts said.
“If we are prevented from fully understanding and evaluating the NSA program, our committee will continue its slide into irrelevance,” said Sen. Rockefeller.
“Like Senator Rockefeller, I will not sit idly by and allow the President’s possible breaking of the law to be swept under the rug,” said Sen. Robert Byrd in a February 17 floor statement.
“I am today announcing my intention to submit to the Congress legislation that will establish a nonpartisan, independent, 9-11-style commission to investigate and determine the legality of the President’s actions,” Sen. Byrd said.
By preparing credible, bipartisan options now, before the bill becomes law, we can give the Administration a plan that is ready to implement rather than another study that gathers dust.
Even as companies and countries race to adopt AI, the U.S. lacks the capacity to fully characterize the behavior and risks of AI systems and ensure leadership across the AI stack. This gap has direct consequences for Commerce’s core missions.
The last remaining agreement limiting U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons has now expired. For the first time since 1972, there is no treaty-bound cap on strategic nuclear weapons.
As states take up AI regulation, they must prioritize transparency and build technical capacity to ensure effective governance and build public trust.