Charting the AI Policy Future: Congressional Views with Reps. Don Beyer & Jay Obernolte
Prepare to delve into the intricate landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy at this SHRM AI+HI Project event in March. Join Congressmen Don Beyer (D-VA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Vice Chairs of the Congressional AI Caucus, as they navigate the complexities of governing this transformative technology. This compelling discussion will offer a firsthand perspective on the current state and future direction of AI policy, directly from key decision-makers at the heart of the debate.
Learning Objectives:
- Grasp the current landscape of AI policy: Gain insights into the major congressional proposals for regulating AI, the challenges and opportunities presented, and the potential impact on businesses and the workforce.
- Understand the differing perspectives: Explore the diverse viewpoints of Reps. Beyer and Obernolte, representing both sides of the aisle, and identify areas of potential collaboration and compromise.
- Analyze the impact of key initiatives: Decipher the implications of the Biden AI Executive Order and the EU's groundbreaking AI regulations on U.S. policy considerations and the potential for international cooperation.
- Prepare for the future of AI in the workplace: Gain practical knowledge of how AI-focused legislation might impact HR practices, workforce management, and the future of work in the United States.
- Engage in informed dialogue: Contribute to shaping the conversation around AI policy by understanding the critical questions and challenges that lie ahead, both domestically and internationally.
Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA)
Congressman Don Beyer is serving his fifth term as the U.S. Representative from Virginia’s 8th District, representing Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and parts of Fairfax County. He serves on Congress' Joint Economic Committee, and also serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means.
He was the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1998, and was Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein under President Obama. Rep. Beyer’s signature work as lieutenant governor included advocacy for Virginians with disabilities and ensuring protections for Virginia’s most vulnerable populations as the Commonwealth reformed its welfare system in the mid-1990s. Rep. Beyer was Virginia’s Democratic nominee for governor in 1997.
After leaving office, Rep. Beyer spent fourteen years as Chair of Jobs for Virginia Graduates, a highly successful high school dropout prevention program, and was active for a decade on the board of the D.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. As Chair of the Virginia Economic Recovery Commission, he helped pass permanent pro-business reforms and was co-founder of the Northern Virginia Technology Council.
President Obama nominated Rep. Beyer to serve as Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein in 2009. He used his position to advocate for stricter sanctions to compel Iran to begin nuclear disarmament discussions. As Ambassador, Rep. Beyer was integral to US Department of Justice efforts to halt the abuses of Swiss bank secrecy by wealthy Americans.
Rep. Beyer has spent four decades building his family business in Northern Virginia after a summer job at a car dealership in 1974. He is a graduate of Williams College and Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC. He was named a Presidential Scholar by President Lyndon Johnson.
Rep. Beyer has four children and two grandchildren. He and his wife Megan live in Alexandria, Virginia.
Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA)
U.S. Congressman Jay Obernolte proudly represents California’s 23rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. A video game developer and business owner, Rep. Obernolte is dedicated to ensuring the High Desert and Inland Empire have a strong voice fighting for their interests in Congress.
Rep. Obernolte proudly serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce where he is a member of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology; the Subcommittee on Health; and the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Minerals. He also serves on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight. He is a congressional leader on artificial intelligence, and currently the only serving member of Congress with a graduate-level degree in AI.
Previously, Rep. Obernolte served as a member of the California State Legislature representing the state’s 33rd Assembly District and as Mayor of the City of Big Bear Lake. He has also served on the boards of the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District, the Mojave Desert and Mountain Integrated Waste Authority, the Mountain Regional Transit Authority, the League of California Cities Desert-Mountain Division, and the Big Bear City Airport District. In these positions he worked across partisan lines to pass legislation helping California’s hardworking families by lowering taxes, stopping government encroachment into privacy and personal liberties, and upholding law and order. He has also been a strong advocate for local veterans, defending funding for the Barstow Veterans Home and helping ensure California veterans receive the care and respect their service has earned.
Rep. Obernolte lives in Big Bear Lake with his wife, Heather. They have two sons, Hale and Troy. In addition to owning a videogame development studio, Rep. Obernolte is a certified flight instructor and a teacher of martial arts. He holds a B.S. in Engineering and Applied Science from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), an M.S. in Artificial Intelligence from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a Doctorate in Public Administration from California Baptist University (CBU).
Emily M. Dickens, J.D.
Emily M. Dickens, J.D., serves as SHRM Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs & Corporate Secretary. She is the executive responsible for coordinating staff to implement the CEO's vision, serving as corporate secretary for the SHRM Board and subsidiary boards, as well as managing external partnerships and providing oversight for the Government Affairs division.
Dickens is an attorney with significant and progressive experience in government, higher education and the non-profit sector. She has served as a member of the leadership team at the University of North Carolina system, the Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and Universities and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Her prior roles include general counsel, chief relationship officer, senior vice president, vice president for public policy and assistant vice president for federal relations. Dickens has also worked at Duke University and Fayetteville State University in administrative and external affairs roles.
Emily is actively engaged in board service. She formerly served on the Fayetteville/Cumberland (NC) Chamber of Commerce (Secretary of the Board), the Cumberland County Workforce Development Board, the North Carolina Partnership for Defense Innovation Board, and the Educational Advancement Foundation. She is currently a member of the Advisory Council of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), the Advisory Board of the College of Arts and Sciences at North Carolina Central University, and chairs the International HBCU Task Force for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
She is a graduate of North Carolina Central University and North Carolina Central University School of Law.