2023 Summer Reading List for Congress

Synthetic Intelligence (AI) has the potential to remodel our whole financial system, together with industries vital to the long run prosperity and nationwide safety of the US. Nonetheless, AI additionally carries important dangers. On this commentary, RAND President and CEO Dr. Jason Matheny gives suggestions for policymakers on the right way to regulate AI to make sure the know-how is developed safely. In testimonies this yr, Matheny additionally provided coverage choices associated to AI for the federal authorities, nationwide safety organizations, and the Division of Protection.

Given the financial rise of China and rising Russian aggression, it’s turning into more and more clear that the US’ protection technique and posture are bancrupt. Because the finish of the Chilly Warfare, U.S. protection technique has been predicated on U.S. navy superiority in all domains, however that superiority is gone. Nonetheless, U.S. and allied forces don’t require superiority to defeat aggression from its foes. As an alternative, sustained, coordinated efforts by the US and its allies are wanted to discourage and defeat trendy threats. A brand new RAND report gives suggestions on potential methods to handle these shortcomings in protection preparations.

Well being care consolidation is dramatically reshaping the construction of the well being care market and inflicting important concern, as lowered competitors can result in elevated well being care costs, lowered incentives to innovate, decreased well being care high quality, and decreased worth for customers. A latest testimony from RAND researcher Cheryl Damberg describes the state of U.S. market consolidation and the impacts of that consolidation on price, high quality of care, and well being outcomes.

Opioids, together with illegally manufactured opioids corresponding to fentanyl, are concerned in a majority of U.S. drug overdoses, however opioids might be critically vital when deployed safely in well being care. Opioids are thus finest seen within the context of an ecosystem, with advanced interactions between completely different components of the system of care (e.g. well being, public security). This report gives suggestions to assist policymakers prioritize and arrange efforts to handle issues related to opioid use. RAND researchers additionally created a software for policymakers to discover a holistic method to fixing opioid-related issues.

The psychological well being and well-being of public faculty academics was a subject of serious concern throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This report’s findings from a January 2023 survey present some enhancements in well-being, although academics proceed to report worse well-being than the final inhabitants of working adults.

There was rising concern that extremist teams are focusing on U.S. veterans for recruitment due to their coaching and skillsets. It has additionally been instructed that the distinctive and infrequently lonely expertise of navy separation leaves the veteran extra inclined to recruitment and subsequently radicalization and violent extremism. This survey examined veteran’s assist for particular extremist teams and ideologies and in comparison with these of the final inhabitants and located that the veteran neighborhood as an entire doesn’t assist the teams and ideologies at the next price than the final inhabitants.

Beijing has lengthy thought-about the Pacific Islands as a part of China’s periphery. Lately, although, Chinese language consideration has more and more included Oceania. What does China’s rising deal with the Pacific Islands imply for the U.S.? In congressional testimony, RAND researcher Derek Grossman outlined the broad contours of Chinese language technique within the area and provided coverage suggestions for Congress and the U.S. authorities.