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More young people are using social media than ever before. 90% of teens use social media, and 45% of teens report using social media every day. Now there is growing concern about how these sites manage young people’s private data. Even though social media has been around for almost two decades, it still remains somewhat uncharted territory for government regulation and oversight. But concerns about how social media use is impacting youth mental health is pushing policymakers to propose reforms to current laws governing children’s privacy online. To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing: - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/child-online-privacy

E-cigarettes have exploded in popularity over the last decade, but policymakers are unsure of how to address e-cigarettes' growing adoption by teens and young adults. In March, Congress amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to give the Federal Drug Administration authority to regulate synthetic nicotine in the same way it regulates other tobacco products. Regulators hope to close the loophole that allowed companies to continue selling flavored e-cigarettes, which many say enticed teens and young adults, even after the FDA cracked down on flavored e-cigarettes back in 2020. Congress’s move to clamp down on flavored nicotine products is part of regulators and policymakers' larger push to deter rising nicotine use among teenagers.

In this episode, we speak with Taylor J. Swift of Demand Progress about the topic of congressional unionization. In March, the House passed a resolution that would extend protections for legislative staff to unionize. As a result, staffers will soon be able to organize their offices. In this interview, Taylor answers questions about the history of unionization, the implications of this historic vote, and what staffers can and cannot bargain for. For more information on congressional unionization, check out this Prolegis Briefing: - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/congressional-staff-union

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health concerns, especially in youth populations. The demand for high quality and accessible mental health care for children is at an all-time high, motivating members of Congress to take action. For sources and more information on this episode, check out this Prolegis Briefing: - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/youth-mental-health-background-and-policy-issues

Rising inflation has been plaguing the Biden administration. Mounting pressure to address inflation has pushed the administration to reconsider the current tariffs on Chinese imports which were originally implemented by the Trump administration in 2018. For more on this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing: - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/revisiting-the-tariffs-on-chinese-imports

Stablecoins present a unique challenge for financial regulators and legislators. The digital currency has similarities with several existing regulated assets, meaning there are multiple ways in which stablecoin providers could be regulated. Legislators have taken an active role in examining the issue, with the House and Senate holding back to back hearings on a Treasury report on stablecoins. For more information on this episode, check out this Prolegis Briefing: - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/what-are-stablecoins-how-should-they-be-regulated

With student debt reaching record highs, Congress is considering ways to address the burden of student loans and the overarching problems the debt level brings. Presidents Trump and Biden extended temporary relief through the COVID pandemic, but that relief is set to expire in August. After months of rejecting calls to provide broad student loan forgiveness, President Biden has indicated that he may reverse course in the near future. Learn more with this Prolegis Briefing: - https://www.prolegis.com/public/briefings/student-loan-debt

Last month, House and Senate leaders announced that they would convene a conference committee after a year-long stalemate over how to address U.S. innovation and competition policy. This is the first conference committee of the 117th Congress, where policymakers will resolve differences between the House's America COMPETES Act and the Senate's US Innovation and Competition Act. To learn more about these bills, including a section-by-section summary, check out these Prolegis Briefings: - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/us-china-strategic-competition-recent-congressional-proposals - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/conference-committees-background-and-overview

Last month, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act. The bill would federally legalize marijuana by removing it as a Schedule I drug, while also retroactively decriminalizing it for federal offenses. Beyond the question of whether or not to legalize or decriminalize marijuana, Congress will also have to grapple with issues related to banking, taxation and interstate trade. Read more about this topic with these Prolegis Briefings: - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/federal-cannabis-policy-background-and-issues - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/the-marijuana-opportunity-reinvestment-and-expungement-more-act

This episode, tune into our policy roundtable on the appropriations process with panelists Mark Harkins and Kimber Colton. These experts discuss the timeline for appropriations, how to engage with appropriations committee staff, and how to navigate the community project funding process.

The Biden administration announced this month that it would terminate Title 42, a program that has suspended the entry of many asylum seekers into the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision has been welcomed by advocates concerned about the human rights consequences of Title 42, but it has also drawn criticism due to fears that it will lead to a spike in asylum claims at the border that may overwhelm the immigration system. For a deeper dive on this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/title-42-background-and-recent-policy-issues

Earlier this month, Major League Baseball and its players association ended a protracted lockout after failing to come to a collective bargaining agreement. The highly publicized nature of the lockout has led many, including members of Congress, to look at potentially stripping the MLB of its antitrust exemption. For a deeper dive on this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing: - https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/major-league-baseballs-antitrust-exemption-background