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A few lines of text in a sweeping new bill moving through Congress could have major implications for the next decade of artificial intelligence. Trump is pushing Republicans in Congress to pass one, big beautiful bill, which hinges on deep cuts to popular federal assistance programs like Medicaid and SNAP to drum up hundreds of billions of dollars for tax cuts and defense spending. Among the bills other controversies, it could stop states from enforcing any laws that regulate AI for the next 10 years. No state . . . may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the bill stipulates. The proposal to hamstring states regulatory power popped up in the House Energy and Commerce Committees portion of the massive budget reconciliation mega-bill. The reason? House Republicans on the committee want to allocate $500 million to modernize federal IT tech, including through the deployment of state-of-the-art commercial AIbut theyre worried about regulators getting in the way of federal AI adoption. In order to streamline the federal governments ability to readily adopt AI into its systems, the bill sidelines one potential check on its power: the states. States are effective tech regulatorsunlike the federal government The bills language is broad, protecting AI models and systems through a moratorium on state-level legal challenges, but also including any automated decision systema catchall category the legislation defines as any computational process that issues a simplified output and replaces human decision-making. That expansive description means the moratorium could prevent states from regulating all kinds of everyday automated processes and algorithms that wouldnt fall under a narrower definition of artificial intelligence. As Trumps political opponents raise alarm over the broader reconciliation bills proposed cuts to Medicaid, some House Democrats slammed the overlooked AI provision as a giant gift to Big Tech companies. This ban will allow AI companies to ignore consumer privacy protections, let deepfakes spread, and allow companies to profile and deceive consumers using AI, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) said. A moratorium on state-level AI regulation might not sound like a huge deal, but states are often the only check on the tech industrys power over consumers. From social media algorithms to AI, the federal government has largely failed to regulate emerging technology over the last decade. States have picked up the slack, with powerful laws like the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) in Illinois ensnaring Meta over the companys mishandling of facial recognition data. States have already stepped in to regulate AI. Last year, Tennessee became the first state to protect musicians from AI systems that would copy their voice without permission. In Colorado, a new law designed to protect residents from discrimination within systems relying on AI just survived a challenge from opponents. Budget reconciliation offers a fast track for some bills Beyond the small provision on AI, the budget reconciliation bill would deliver on a number of the presidents signature priorities, like funding ongoing construction of the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico and extending tax cuts from Trumps first term beyond 2025. In its first 100 days, the Trump administration leaned heavily on executive orders and other unilateral actions that didnt require cooperation from Congress. With Trumps early blitz of executive actionsincluding sharp limits to immigration and deep cuts to the federal workforcenow tangled up in court challenges, the administration has turned to Republicans in Congress to enact other parts of his agenda. In Congress, a special process known as budget reconciliation allows some kinds of legislation to pass with a simple majority vote in the Senate, bypassing the need to whip up 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. For an administration with little interest in the slow, compromise-driven work necessary to craft bipartisan legislation, a budget reconciliation bill offers an alternative path, though one that only applies to some bills related to spending, taxes, and the debt limit. Will the bill pass? With the committee markup sessions wrapped up, House Republicans are aiming to push the mega-bill through its next phase of scrutiny on Friday. With such a large legislative package covering so much ground, disagreements on any one of its component parts could spell the bills demise. While the relatively tiny piece of significant AI deregulation within the bill is unlikely to be a sticking point, Senate Republicans have expressed concerns over the bills failure to reduce federal spending. President Trump is likely to dial up the pressure if the bill clears the House, but there are signs that without major changes, the big, beautiful bill could sink before it leaves the harbor.
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E-Commerce
Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin has said he wants the federal agency to accelerate scientific safety evaluations of various chemicals, including pesticides. The EPA reportedly has more than 500 pending reviews of proposed new pesticides and more than 12,000 overdue reevaluations of pesticides currently in use. The agency is under pressure from the chemical and agricultural industries to catch up, while health and environmental advocates demand it maintain high safety standards. The review process is careful for a reason and perhaps the only real method of speeding it up is the one Zeldin has proposed: reassigning staff so there are more people to share the work. As a faculty member at a land-grant university who has studied the effectiveness of commercial and experimental pesticides in the southern U.S., I have seen how the federal pesticide regulatory process identifies risks to humans and the environment and mitigates them with specific use instructions. Heres how the process works. First, what is a pesticide? The EPA, which regulates pesticides in the U.S., defines a pesticide as any substance or mixture of substances intended to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pest, such as weeds, insects and organisms, that attack plants. Pesticides are often referred to as toxins when found in food, water bodies or other places where they are not intended. But just because something is detected doesnt mean its harmful to humans or wildlife. Toxicity depends on how much of the substance a person or animal is exposed to, how they are exposed to it such as breathing it, or getting it on their skin and for how long. The Department of Agriculture began regulating pesticides in 1947 with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. Most of the departments interest was whether a particular pesticide was effective against the target pests. In 1970, the newly formed EPA took over responsibility for pesticides. It shifted its focus to the safety of consumers, farmworkers and the environment after the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act took effect in 1972. Risk-benefit analysis Federal law requires the EPA to evaluate both the risks and the benefits of each pesticide and to revisit that analysis at least every 15 years for every pesticide used in the U.S. The EPA determines whether the risks to people, animals or the environment are too high for the benefits the pesticide provides and whether any of those risks can be reduced. Sometimes a chemicals risk can be lessened by recommending mitigation strategies such as wearing protective clothing, reducing environmental spread by barring the use of pesticides near the edges of a property, or decreasing the amount of a pesticide thats legal to use. In its analysis of any given pesticide, the EPA requires a massive amount of data from the manufacturer about what ingredients the pesticide contains and how they work. The agency also reviews scientific research on the pesticide and uses its own scientists and independent experts to evaluate any studies that were submitted by the manufacturer. The EPA uses all the available data on a pesticide to evaluate the dose that would be toxic to a range of organisms, as well as what residues the pesticide may leave on plants, in the soil and in water. The data is incorporated into computer models that estimate the potential amount of the chemical that may come in contact with humans, animals and the environment. Those models results are then combined with toxicity data to determine risk. The models used by EPA scientists are very conservative. They often use significant overestimates of exposure, which means that when the models determine the risk of a pesticide is below a particular level, they are evaluating the risk posed by far higher quantities of the chemical than will ever actually be used. The risk from the amount actually used, therefore, is even less likely to cause harm. The EPA also provides opportunities for public comment on a pesticide and uses that information in its evaluations as well. Additional scrutiny The Endangered Species Act also requires the EPA to evaluate the effects of pesticides on threatened and endangered species. If a pesticide is found to potentially be dangerous to a protected species or its habitat, the EPA will discuss those findings with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, which enforce the Endangered Species Act, and determine what to do to ensure the species arent harmed. The laws requirement to reevaluate each pesticide every 15 years is based on the fact that science evolves and information becomes more precise. New data can shed light on potential risks and benefits, and even lead to pesticides being banned or more closely restricted. Until recently, for instance, pesticide residues on plants, food and in the environment were measure in parts per million. Newer equipment can measure even smaller amounts, determining parts per billion, which is as precise as identifying one single second in 32 years. Some chemicals can even be measured in parts per trillion, equivalent to one drop of water in 20 Olympic-size swimming pools. That means exposures can be more accurately measured. While some chemicals can be toxic in very small concentrations, most pesticides can be detected at levels that do not pose a biological risk. Allowing a pesticide to be used If the EPA determines that a pesticides risks outweigh its benefits, then its staff will conduct additional analyses to determine how to mitigate the risks enough to justify using it. If thats not possible, the EPA will reject the application and not allow the pesticide to be used in the U.S. If the agency determines that the benefits outweigh the risks, the EPA approves the pesticide for sale and use in the U.S. The law requires the pesticide come with a label providing a strict set of guidelines for how, when and where to use the pesticide. The guidelines define amounts and timing for applying the pesticide safely, and specific restrictions or protection strategies to control the target pests while eliminating or minimizing harm to the environment, workers and the public. The EPA also makes information on pesticides available to the public, so anyone can find out how to use them safely. Using the pesticide without following those directions is a violation of federal law. Jeffrey Gore is a professor of agricultural science and plant protection at Mississippi State University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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E-Commerce
Life is full of bittersweet moments, such as when children leave a happy home to strike out on their own. Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo, the offspring of California’s internet-famous eagles Jackie and Shadow, are getting ready to do just that. And the eagle family’s one-million-plus social media followers can watch them fly from the nest for the first time. This act is known as fledging and can happen anytime between 10-14 weeks old. The official fledge window for the eaglets started on Tuesday, and fans who love watching the eagles on the live nest web camera operated by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) hope the eaglets take their sweet time. At last check on Wednesday afternoon, the live YouTube stream had more than 43,000 viewers. Lets take a look at how Sunny and Gizmo got here. A brief history of the Big Bear bald eaglets Back in January, Jackie laid a clutch of three eggs for the first time. This rare act was especially exciting because Jackie and Shadows eggs haven’t hatched for a couple of seasons. These three eggs went all the way, hatching on March 3, 4, and 8. Sadly, after a big winter storm, one of the chicks had passed away. FOBBV held a naming contest where anyone in the world could suggest a moniker. The names were then voted on by local third, fourth, and fifth graders. The names Sunny and Gizmo were chosen by the kids while the name Misty was given to the deceased chick by FOBBV to honor the late volunteer Kathi Misterly. Last month, the Sunny and Gizmo discovered how to flap their wings. Being the older sibling, Sunny even got some air before Gizmo. The mischievous youngster got Sunny back by winning a flapping battle in May. During the second week of May, Jackie and Shadow trusted Gizmo and Sunny enough to leave them home alone in the nest overnight. (They didnt throw a party.) It is only a matter of time now before these two former fluff balls go all the way. If you are a gambler, you can enter FOBBV’s contest and take a guess on when that might be. Simply fill out a form on the nonprofit’s website with the time and date that you think each eaglet will take wing. There is no money at stake, but you could win bragging rights and a cool certificate from the organization, so its totally worth it. How can I stream the bald eagle cam live? You can watch the action at the nest cam’s live YouTube link or via the embedded video below. Whats next for the Big Bear bald eaglets? After Sunny and Gizmo take their first flight, they will hang out around Big Bear Lake for a couple of months. They still have much to learn from their parents about being an adult, including how to hunt and fish. They may even return to the nest, but it will take some time to get their wing strength up to par, as the nest is a high flight up a Jeffrey pine tree. After they are a bit more confident, the world is their oyster. Since they dont have to worry about rent, bald eagles have a wide range, being seen in areas extending from British Columbia to Yellowstone to Baja California.
Category:
E-Commerce
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