WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49189) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "AI Chatbots as Companions - Overview, Uses and Considerations for Congress:" (Continued fromPart 1 of 2) * * * Selected Issues: AI Chatbot Use As mentioned, much of what is known about AI chatbot interactions is from short-term studies or company disclosures. Some surveys indicate that the use of AI chatbots for companionship is becoming more prevalent,/71 particularly among teens./72 The widespread use of more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following news: * * * Court Strikes Down Maryland's Digital Ad Tax, Serving As Cautionary for Other States Last fall, ATR pointed out how the tax hike-laden budget that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed into law earlier in the year was on shaky ground. That's because the state budget assumes revenue from a state digital advertising tax, the nation's first, which stood a good chance of being struck down in court. That's precisely what ended up happening last week, when the Maryland T more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management issued the following news release: * * * BLM Invites Additional Public Feedback for December 2026 Oil and Gas Lease Sale in Utah * SALT LAKE CITY - The Bureau of Land Management today opened a 30-day public comment period to receive public input on plans to include 43 oil and gas parcels totaling 74,550 acres in Utah in a December 2026 sale. The comment period ends September 21, 2026. The BLM completed scoping on these parcels in July 2026 and is now seeki more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release: * * * IN THE STATES: American Families Are Worse Off Under Donald Trump and Republicans' Failing Economy Thanks to Donald Trump and Republicans' costly agenda, millions of Americans are going into debt and cutting back to afford daily necessities. From Trump's disastrous tariffs and sweeping cuts to SNAP and Medicaid, to his deeply unpopular and reckless war with Iran, working families are seeing the cost of nearly everything soar -- and they're feeli more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- Rep. David Schweikert, R-Arizona, chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, issued the following news on Aug. 21, 2026: * * * Chairman Schweikert Hosts Innovation Sandbox Roundtable at Hoover On Thursday, August 13, Chairman David Schweikert convened a Joint Economic Committee roundtable at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University to examine how regulatory sandbox pilot programs can reduce barriers to innovation, facilitate responsible experimentation, and inform more effective regulatory policy. The roundtable,  more PR

LOGAN, Utah, Aug. 21 -- Utah State University issued the following news: * * * USU AmeriCorps One Utah Summer of Service Fellow Fosters Community Engagement With Nature * Days of trekking through Utah's Logan Canyon and scouting birds in the tranquil waters of Cache Valley's Cutler Marsh are departures for Utah State University scholar Kai Li Tullis. The 2026 Honors graduate is accustomed to long hours of reading, writing and research: She's earned a bachelor's degree in International Studies with a minor in Chinese, along with certificates more PR