Artificial Intelligence, Drug Prices, IRS Funding, and More ...

Here’s what you need to know, friend. Problems viewing this email? [View it in your browser]( [Center for American Progress]( InProgress from the Center for American Progress President Biden's Ambitious Executive Action on AI [President Biden and Vice President Harris with the words Artificial Intelligence in the background.]( This week, President Joe Biden signed an [executive order]( on safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI). As the first-ever executive order on AI, it includes many of the principles that the Center for American Progress has been [calling for since April]( including an all-of-government approach to AI that encompasses the framework of the [2022 AI Bill of Rights](. [Dr. Alondra Nelson]( a distinguished senior fellow at CAP who played a leading role in developing the AI Bill of Rights and was recently named as a [U.S. member of new U.N. Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence]( issued the following [statement]( in response: This ambitious executive order offers the guidance we need to ensure that AI will be developed and used in a safe and effective manner. The Biden administration should be commended for acting quickly, decisively, and within the full range of its authority to issue an order that addresses the potential harms that AI poses, especially to vulnerable and marginalized communities. AI tools and systems should enhance the lives of the public. Industry can be held to account through transparency measures. This order ensures that consumers know when AI systems are in use through watermarking and other content authentication mechanisms for automated systems and synthetic media. It’s important that this transparency starts with the government’s acknowledgement of its own use of these tools. Workplaces must respect and inspire American workers, using products that embody our principles of equality, ensure our freedoms, and protect our rights. The future of AI should not be guided solely by industry and profit motives. Now comes the essential work of implementing the executive order. Important guardrails, including but not limited to privacy protections, will only be able to be put in place by Congress. CAP looks forward to supporting the administration and lawmakers as they see these ambitious commitments through to implementation, making them durable for the American public and the world. AI Should Empower Workers, Not Hurt Them At the [2023 CAP IDEAS Conference]( Dr. Alondra Nelson reflected on the challenges of AI and how it should be used as a tool to empower workers. [tweet reading "Artificial intelligence should empower workers. Thank you for your insight and leadership Dr. @Alondra Nelson. #CAPIdeas]( [Share Now]( Tell SCOTUS: Protect Women, Not Guns Did you know that [two-thirds]( of all mass shootings from 2014 to 2019 occurred during a domestic violence incident? Gun violence and domestic violence affect all of us, and next week, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide our future in United States v. Rahimi, a case on this topic. Learn more about the case [here]( and take action now to protect women, not gun laws. [TAKE ACTION]( Drug Companies Continue To Hike Prices Above Inflation [Man arranging pill organizers]( For far too long, drug companies have been free to both set prices as high as the market will bear and raise these prices year after year. According to a [2023 report by AARP]( the prices of the top 25 drugs with the highest Medicare spending have more than tripled since they first entered the market. This isn't just a numbers game; it's taking a toll on people's health and wallets. One in 3 U.S. adults already struggle to afford taking their medications as prescribed, and drug prices continue to soar. To tackle this issue, the Inflation Reduction Act has set limits on how much drug companies can hike up Medicare prices, enabled Medicare to negotiate better prices, and capped out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare beneficiaries. While this provides great relief for millions of Medicare enrollees, these rules don't apply to the commercial market, which covers more than half of all Americans. That's a problem because drug companies are raising their prices in the commercial market as well. [In June 2023]( various drug companies hiked list prices for 112 drugs above the 3 percent rate of inflation. Among all drugs with price hikes greater than 1 percent, the median price increase was 3.9 percent—a whopping 30 percent higher than the inflation rate. Some lawmakers are trying to extend the Inflation Reduction Act's protections to the commercial market, and they've introduced bills such as the [Lower Drug Costs for Families Act]( and the [Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act]( to do so. These solutions are long overdue, and it's critical for Congress to address Americans’ challenges accessing and affording the medications they need. [Read more]( The Inflation Reduction Act Funds $60 Million for Salmon Conservation [Man feeding fish on Scottish salmon hatchery]( The Biden-Harris administration announced a groundbreaking [$60 million investment in the Columbia River basin hatcheries]( and the fight against climate change. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, this funding will address Tribal priorities and the adverse effects of climate change on Pacific salmon. This project is part of President Biden's larger commitment to ensure that communities and economies are not just ready for climate change, but also resilient in the face of its challenges. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo expressed the importance of this historic investment, stating that it furthers the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s efforts in helping Americans—especially Tribes and vulnerable populations—prepare, adapt, and build resilience to weather and climate events. These investments are tailored to meet deferred maintenance and upgrade needs, furthering President Biden’s conservation agenda outlined in the America the Beautiful initiative. This decadelong effort aims to support locally led and voluntary conservation and restoration across public, private, and Tribal lands and waters by fostering job creation and fortifying local economies. This investment is a testament to the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to climate resilience, conservation, and supporting Tribal priorities. It signifies a crucial step toward securing the future of the Columbia River basin's ecosystems and fishing communities. This funding is not just an investment in the environment but a step to build a more resilient and sustainable future. [read More]( ICYMI: Larry Summers on the Necessity of IRS Funding On October 31, [CAP Distinguished Senior Fellow Larry Summers]( joined CAP President and CEO Patrick Gaspard to discuss IRS funding. The ability of the IRS to collect the taxes that are legally owed has been severely diminished by past budget cuts. As Summers and Gaspard point out, the Inflation Reduction Act reversed more than a decade of disinvestment in the IRS by providing $80 billion to boost tax enforcement and modernize the agency over 10 years, but that funding is increasingly on the chopping block. Watch the recording of this conversation to gain insights into how investments in the IRS will pay for themselves multiple times over and how smart fiscal policy and a healthy democracy depend on adequately funding the IRS. [Watch the EVent]( Follow us on [Follow us on Twitter]( [Follow us on Facebook]( [Follow us on YouTube]( [Follow us on Instagram]( [Support CAP]( [Manage Email Preferences or Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy]( [Center for American Progress]( Center for American Progress 1333 H Street NW Washington, D.C. 20005 [supporter]