AI To Summarize Congressional Bills

Simplifying Legislative Content with AI

Introduction to AI in Bill Summarization

We thought it would be interesting to use AI to summarize bills. The idea is to condense lengthy legislative documents, like the 5,593-page Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, into brief summaries. That took about 30 seconds to generate. These summaries are designed to be less than two pages, allowing people outside the political sphere to gain a quick understanding without media bias. While AI isn’t perfect yet, large language models are improving and could become highly accurate in the next year or two.

How Different AI Platforms Handle Bill Summarization

Platform Comparisons

To test this idea, we used three different AI platforms with the same prompt to summarize the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. Below are the results:

Platform 1

This Platform is a widely used AI text summarization tool known for its ability to condense large documents into key points. It is often used by researchers and professionals for quick overviews.

Part 1

Funding the Government

(Approx. 4,500 pages)

This section details federal allocations for various government agencies and programs, similar to a giant spreadsheet outlining government expenditures.

Part 2

COVID-19 Relief Package

(Approx. 1,000 pages)

Focuses on pandemic relief, including stimulus payments, business support, healthcare funding, and aid to state and local governments.

Key Takeaway

The sheer size of the act makes it challenging for even members of Congress to fully grasp, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

Platform 2

This Platform specializes in providing detailed, structured summaries that break down complex documents into digestible chunks. It is commonly used for legal and governmental document analysis.

Page 1

COVID-19 Relief Measures

Direct Payments: $286 billion in direct payments to individuals, with $600 payments to those earning up to $75,000 annually
Unemployment Benefits: Extended federal unemployment benefits at $300 per week.
Small Business Aid: $325 billion allocated to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other loans and grants.
Transportation Funding: $45 billion directed towards airlines, airports, transit systems, and Amtrak.
Small Business Aid: $325 billion allocated to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other loans and grants.
Educational Support: $82 billion provided to schools and universities to assist with reopening efforts.
Housing and Nutrition: $25 billion for rental assistance and $13 billion for food stamps and nutrition programs.

Page 2

Federal Government Funding

Total Allocation: $1.4 trillion to cover all federal agencies and operations, including foreign aid, military spending, and infrastructure projects.
Tax Policies: Extension of certain tax credits and deductions that were set to expire.
Government Continuity: Addressed multiple government funding lapses and threats of shutdown.
Policy Reforms: Introduced policy changes related to immigration, healthcare, and education.
Bipartisan Negotiations: The result of intensive bipartisan negotiations between Congress and the White House, culminating in a final vote of 359-53 in the House and 92-6 in the Senate.

Key Consideration

Despite its length, the bill had to be passed quickly due to the pandemic and the looming government shutdown, making it one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in recent history.

Platform 3

This Platform is an AI model focused on historical and legislative summaries, designed to offer in-depth insights and timelines for complex government bills and acts.

Part 1

Overview of the Act

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133), is a comprehensive legislative package combining two major components:

$900 Billion for COVID-19 Relief: This portion includes funding for direct stimulus payments, unemployment benefits, small business aid, vaccine distribution, and public health initiatives.
$1.4 Trillion for Federal Funding: Covers the federal government’s operations for the 2021 fiscal year, incorporating 12 separate annual appropriations bills.

Part 2

Legislative Process

The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on January 3, 2019, as H.R. 133. It passed through several legislative stages:

House Passage: The bill passed the House with a voice vote on January 10, 2019.
Senate Passage: The Senate passed the bill on January 15, 2020, with unanimous consent, after amendments were made.
Final House Approval: The House agreed to the Senate amendments on December 21, 2020, with further revisions, passing the bill with votes of 327–85 and 359–53.
Senate Final Approval: The Senate agreed to the House’s final version on December 21, 2020, with a 92–6 vote.
Presidential Signature: President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on December 27, 2020.

Impact and Significance

The act is one of the largest spending measures ever enacted in U.S. history, surpassing the $2.2 trillion CARES Act of March 2020. It prevents a government shutdown and provides critical funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing key areas such as public health, economic recovery, and government operations.

Key Provisions

Health and Hospitals: Allocates significant resources to hospitals and health systems to cope with the pandemic.

Bipartisan Support: The bill was the result of intense bipartisan negotiations, reflecting a compromise between Democrats and Republicans.

Timeline of Events: The bill was developed during a lame-duck session of Congress and was passed quickly due to the urgency of the pandemic.