Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, presided over a hearing focused on the modernization of the U.S. government’s record classification system, his official website reported Thursday.

Some suggestions from the witnesses include using artificial intelligence and reforming “automatic” declassification to avoid overclassifying documents.

The federal classification system accommodates 50 million new confidential documents every year, costing the government $18 billion annually in maintenance efforts, Peters said in his opening remarks.

“Experts, both within and outside of the federal government, estimate that between 50 and 90 percent of all classified materials could be made public without compromising national security, and that the over-classification of documents reduces transparency and erodes public confidence in the federal government,” he elaborated.

One of the witnesses who recommended solutions was Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law. She suggested that Congress review and reconsider the current 25-year automatic declassification of records, since some information can be redacted from the files rather than censoring them altogether. She additionally urged increased support for the Mandatory Declassification Review and the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel.

John Fitzpatrick, former director of the Information Security Oversight Office, also testified. He emphasized the need to invest in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other maturing technologies as “the single most important piece” of the system’s modernization, going on to recommend aggregate processing of digital records in order to avoid accumulated backlogs. Furthermore, Fitzpatrick called for the installation of top secret digital environments at review offices that are currently limited to paper-based and manual operations.

The governments of the United States and Canada will leverage their alliance to build integrated supply chains, aiming to boost the global competitiveness of North America.

President Joe Biden’s state visit to Canada led to a pledge to fund bilateral projects using the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, as well as the Canadian Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, according to a White House statement released Friday.

This spring, the Biden administration intends to distribute $250 million in contracts under the Defense Production Act to U.S. and Canadian companies exploring critical minerals used in electric vehicles and energy storage batteries.

As part of the reinforced partnership, the U.S.-Canada Joint Action Plan on Critical Minerals Cooperation was amended to expand the involvement of each country’s departments of state, commerce, defense, energy and geological survey. The objective is to increase information sharing and private sector engagement in research and development of essential mineral resources.

For Canada’s part, over $1 billion in financing from the Canadian Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund will be earmarked for clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects. Another $1 billion from the Canadian Strategic Innovation Fund will be invested in programs for advanced manufacturing, processing and recycling.

In an effort to strengthen the semiconductor industry, the U.S. will award $50 million in contracts to vendors from both companies, while Canada will obligate $250 million. Their initiatives are expected to generate jobs in the sector, improve cross-border semiconductor packaging trade and foster technological innovations focused on packaging and testing.

The two countries also agreed to address the growing demand for electric vehicles by coordinating joint training efforts with the automotive industry, battery makers and trade unions.

The Biden administration has authorized the Department of Energy to launch a $250 million funding program to increase energy efficiency measures in government buildings.

The Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies program is in compliance with a December 2021 executive order, which calls for government establishments to produce net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, DOE said Thursday.

AFFECT, which is part of the administration’s Investing in America agenda, is expected to transform 300,000 facilities into climate-resilient workplaces. 

The program’s funding opportunities will be granted to agencies with new or existing buildings that propose water and energy efficiency upgrades, conservation improvements, sustainable design and renewable power generation capabilities.

“This investment will help achieve the President’s ambitious Federal sustainability goals while creating good-paying jobs, lowering energy costs, and building healthier communities,” commented Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.