Via electronic submission

February 28, 2024

President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Section 702 grants intelligence agencies broad authority to collect the communications of foreigners abroad who use U.S. communications platforms. But as currently written and interpreted, it enables unfettered, warrantless, and discriminatory surveillance that encroaches on the privacy of everyday Americans in the U.S. and abroad.

Section 702 and related surveillance authorities have been misused to spy on Americans, including but not limited to protesters, journalists, campaign donors, and members of Congress. The consequences of such misuse have had a profound impact on our Asian American community, resulting in wrongful targeting, unjust surveillance, and devastating tolls on careers, livelihoods, and reputations.

Our rapidly shifting digital age is presently and will continue to impact our communities’ ability to thrive economically, socially, and politically. That is why the appointments in the telecommunications and technology sectors are more critical than ever. We were thrilled to see the United States Senate confirm Anna Gomez to serve as Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) because of her experience in this sector and her commitment to diversity and inclusion.

On behalf of The Asian American Tech Table (Tech Table) we write to request robust additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Nearly 20 million households across the country rely on ACP for high quality, reliable, and affordable broadband access. The median cost of internet service is $74.99 per month, an unsustainable amount for the 89.7 million people living 200% below the poverty line in the United States. ACP offers these households a discount of up to $30 per month, or $75 per month on tribal lands, to help alleviate these costs.

The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned about the risks that artificial intelligence (AI) and other automated decision-making systems pose to the well-being and rights of the American people. We welcome the intense attention that Congress is placing on these issues, and the inclusion of some key civil society representatives in the first Senate AI Insight Forum that took place on September 13th.

NHMC and the undersigned organizations strongly believe in the protection and promotion of diversity in all facets of the United States in order to sustain a competitive ecosystem for historically and intentionally marginalized communities to thrive. When it comes to mergers and acquisitions, addressing the dire need for diversity in companies, product development, and competition is no exception.

We, the undersigned civil, technology, labor, consumer, transparency, accountability, and human rights groups, call upon the Biden-Harris administration to make the White House Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights (AI Bill of Rights) binding U.S. government policy for the federal government’s use of AI systems in the forthcoming AI Executive Order (AI EO). We agree in particular that AI tools must be demonstrated to be safe and effective and free from algorithmic discrimination, two of the core principles of the AI Bill of Rights.

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) already has disparate impacts on different communities, and are likely to further exacerbate existing disparities and biases.

Recent reports suggest that lawmakers are considering changes to the proposed American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) that would exempt data brokers who provide services to law enforcement agencies. These proposed changes would dramatically infringe upon the civil liberties of Americans, providing law enforcement with tools for surveillance and prosecution without the need for a warrant or due process.