A Capital Region Student's Idea is About to Become Law December 19, 2020Dear Friends,Washington has been a whirlwind of activity over the past week. After days of drawn out negotiations and attempts to hash out a year-end federal spending bill, I share in your frustration that a COVID-19 rescue package continues to face delay.For more than seven months, I have fought to deliver the next lifeline our communities, frontline workers, first responders and struggling families need to get through this. And I do remain hopeful that these coming hours and days will yield at least some results on that front. In the meantime, I have some positive news to share about one of the bills I have been pushing forward in Congress, and the impressive constituent who helped bring this legislation to life.Last week, the House passed the Artificial Intelligence Education Act as part of the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in an overwhelmingly decisive, and notably veto-proof, vote of 335 to 78. This bipartisan bill would establish grants and other support to be administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help K-12 students develop artificial intelligence (AI) skills, experience and a deeper understanding of the ethics and social implications of this emerging field.This visionary idea came to me thanks to a Capital Region student who saw an opportunity to improve education in a field he is passionate about, and spoke up.I had the pleasure of meeting then-Shaker High School senior Nathan Wang—now a freshman studying biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University—at a STEM event in our Capital Region. He followed up with me during a visit to Washington, DC where he was attending an engineering convention, and asked that I consider introducing legislation to expand AI Education for K-12 students. Over the next several months, my office worked with him and coordinated with the appropriate committee of jurisdiction to hammer out a piece of legislation that would deliver on Nathan’s original vision: The AI Education Act. Our bill:Ensures that artificial intelligence education is accessible to K-12 studentsIncreases awareness of potential ethical, social, safety, and security risks of artificial systemsPromotes curriculum development for teaching topics related to artificial intelligenceSupports efforts to achieve equitable access to K-12 artificial intelligence educationPromotes the widespread understanding of artificial intelligence principles and methods to create an educated workforce and general public able to use products enabled by artificial intelligence systems and adapt to future societal and economic changes caused by artificial intelligence systemsBolsters America’s STEM-educated K-12 teaching workforce by expanding eligibility for the Robert Noyce Teacher Training Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarship to science, technology, and mathematics undergraduates who choose to pursue a career in K-12 education.I introduced the AI Education Act in September, 2020, and am proud to say that it was quickly taken up as part of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. After passing the House, it was also advanced in the Senate by an overwhelming, and again veto-proof, 84-13 margin. Despite declarations from the President that he plans to veto this bill for reasons almost entirely unrelated to its scope or contents, the extensive, bipartisan support it has received in both chambers all but guarantees that Nathan’s great idea will soon become law. We have only begun to scratch the surface of what AI can do in driving economic and technological growth. Opening the door for more of America’s students to learn about it will prepare them, and us, for the groundbreaking advances in science, technology, manufacturing and more that we know are coming.  Thanks to Nathan’s pioneering mind and intrepid spirit, we have the opportunity to open those doors to AI education for all of America’s students, educators and schools.Thank you, Nathan, and everyone who has contributed to our many legislative successes this term.And, as always, thank you for reading.Your friend, DID YOU KNOW?Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations on any and all COVID-19 related topics. With that in mind here is some information that may be of interest to you:On December 16, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC)—in consultation with public health and medical experts and the Presidential Inaugural Committee—announced that they will limit attendance at the 59th Inaugural Ceremony.Previously, the JCCIC would traditionally distribute 200,000 tickets for the official ceremonies at the Capitol and provide ticket bundles to Members of the 117th Congress to distribute to constituents.Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, Members of Congress will not be allotted tickets for public distribution. The Swearing-In Ceremony and other traditional events will be re-envisioned and available to view online and via national televised broadcast.Following the ceremonies, commemorative ticket bundles and program packets will be made available to Member offices for constituents.