Photo of Holly Fechner

Holly Fechner

Holly Fechner advises clients on complex public policy matters that combine legal and political opportunities and risks. She leads teams that represent companies, entities, and organizations in significant policy and regulatory matters before Congress and the Executive Branch.

She is a co-chair of the Covington’s Technology Industry Group and a member of the Covington Political Action Committee board of directors.

Holly works with clients to:

  • Develop compelling public policy strategies
  • Research law and draft legislation and policy
  • Draft testimony, comments, fact sheets, letters and other documents
  • Advocate before Congress and the Executive Branch
  • Form and manage coalitions
  • Develop communications strategies

She is the Executive Director of Invent Together and a visiting lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She serves on the board of directors of the American Constitution Society.

Holly served as Policy Director for Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Chief Labor and Pensions Counsel for the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee.

She received The American Lawyer, "Dealmaker of the Year" award in 2019. The Hill named her a “Top Lobbyist” from 2013 to the present, and she has been ranked by Chambers USA - America's Leading Business Lawyers from 2012 to the present. One client noted to Chambers: "Holly is an exceptional attorney who excels in government relations and policy discussions. She has an incisive analytical skill set which gives her the capability of understanding extremely complex legal and institutional matters." According to another client surveyed by Chambers, "Holly is incredibly intelligent, effective and responsive. She also leads the team in a way that brings out everyone's best work."

On February 6, the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy (“OSTP”) and National Science Foundation (“NSF”) issued a Request for Information (“RFI”) seeking public input on the “Development of an Artificial Intelligence Action Plan.”  The RFI marks a first step toward the implementation of the Trump Administration’s January

Continue Reading Trump Administration Seeks Public Comment on AI Action Plan

On January 29, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced the Decoupling America’s Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act (S. 321), one of the first bills of 119th Congress to address escalating U.S. competition with China on artificial intelligence.  The new legislation comes just days after Chinese AI company DeepSeek

Continue Reading Senator Hawley Introduces Sweeping U.S.-China AI Decoupling Bill

U.S. Secretary of Commerce nominee Howard Lutnick delivered a detailed preview of what to expect from the Trump Administration on key issues around technology, trade, and intellectual property.  At his nomination hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Wednesday, January 29, Lutnick faced questions from senators about the future of the CHIPS and Science Act, global trade, and particularly U.S. technological competition with China, including export controls and artificial intelligence after the release of China’s AI model “DeepSeek.”  Lutnick, who was introduced by Vice President J.D. Vance, committed to implementing the Trump Administration’s America First agenda. 

If confirmed, Lutnick will lead the Commerce Department’s vast policy portfolio, including export controls for emerging technologies, broadband spectrum access and deployment, AI innovation, and climate and weather issues through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”).  In his responses to senators’ questions, Lutnick emphasized his pro-business approach and his intent to implement President Trump’s policy objectives including bringing manufacturing—particularly of semiconductors—back to the United States and establishing “reciprocity” with China in response to what he called “unfair” treatment of U.S. businesses.

Technology Competition with China, Export Controls, and Intellectual Property

Senators on both sides of the aisle asked Lutnick about the threat of Chinese competition in emerging technologies, such as AI.  Lutnick stated that it is evident the Chinese used “stolen” and “leveraged” U.S. technologies to develop DeepSeek and that the United States needs to stop China from “using our tools to compete with us.” 

Lutnick noted that China has found ways to evade U.S. export controls and that, under his direction, the Commerce Department will reinforce these controls with punitive tariffs to ensure compliance.  Lutnick also criticized the Chinese for refusing to respect U.S. innovators’ IP in China, stating that the Chinese should expect the same treatment in the United States under a new policy of “reciprocity.”  As Commerce Secretary, Lutnick will oversee the Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), which he noted will carry out the Trump Administration’s America First agenda, including by preventing the Chinese from “abusing” the U.S. patent system.  In response to questioning from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Lutnick also stated that he would work to reduce the backlog of patent applications pending at the USPTO. Continue Reading What Commerce Secretary Nominee Howard Lutnick’s Confirmation Hearing Tells us about Technology Policy in the Trump Administration

With the 119th Congress now assembled, Republicans control both the House and Senate, and will control the White House starting on January 20th.  If history is any guide, this change in party control of the White House, plus unified control of Congress by the president’s party, will pave the way for Republicans to deploy the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn a number of regulations issued by the Biden Administration.  When President Trump first took office in 2017, congressional Republicans used the CRA to overturn more than a dozen rules promulgated by the Obama Administration.   

The CRA mandates federal agencies to submit all final rules to Congress before the rule takes effect.  Then, Congress has 60 days to overturn a rule by enacting a joint resolution of disapproval that withdraws the rule and prohibits the agency from issuing a rule that is “substantially the same.”  However, if a rule is submitted to Congress within 60 days before adjournment, the CRA’s “lookback period” allows additional time—a new 60-day period—for the new Congress to review the rule and introduce a resolution of disapproval.  If a rule has already taken effect when a CRA resolution is signed into law, the rule “shall be treated as though such rule had never taken effect.” 5 U.S.C. § 801(f). 

Although the House and Senate parliamentarians make the official determination of whether a particular rule falls within the lookback period when a disapproval resolution is introduced, the Congressional Research Service estimates that rules submitted to Congress on or after August 1, 2024 are likely subject to possible nullification. The CRA allows members of Congress to introduce resolutions of disapproval starting on the 15th day of the new session. Under the current congressional schedules, Senators may introduce CRA resolutions starting around January 23, 2025, and Representatives may introduce CRA resolutions starting around February 5, 2025.

Many federal agencies operated under an earlier deadline and thus prioritized finalizing and submitting high-priority rules this spring—including those “significant rules” defined in Executive Order 12866, as amended by Executive Order 14094, that are predicted to have an annual impact of $200 million or more on the economy.  Because these rules were submitted earlier, they will likely fall outside the CRS’s estimated CRA lookback window.  The George Washington University Regulatory Study Center estimates approximately 100 of these significant rules may fall into the CRA window, which is likely fewer than in prior changes in administrations, in part due to early agency action.  However, there are more than 1,000 rules that could ultimately be subject to disapproval under the CRA in the new Congress.    Continue Reading Biden Administration Rulemakings at Risk for Congressional Review Act Cancellation in New Congress

The results of the 2024 U.S. election are expected to have significant implications for AI legislation and regulation at both the federal and state level. 

Like the first Trump Administration, the second Trump Administration is likely to prioritize AI innovation, R&D, national security uses of AI, and U.S. private sector investment and leadership in AI.  Although recent AI model testing and reporting requirements established by the Biden Administration may be halted or revoked, efforts to promote private-sector innovation and competition with China are expected to continue.  And while antitrust enforcement involving large technology companies may continue in the Trump Administration, more prescriptive AI rulemaking efforts such as those launched by the current leadership of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) are likely to be curtailed substantially.

In the House and Senate, Republican majorities are likely to adopt priorities similar to those of the Trump Administration, with a continued focus on AI-generated deepfakes and prohibitions on the use of AI for government surveillance and content moderation. 

At the state level, legislatures in California, Texas, Colorado, Connecticut, and others likely will advance AI legislation on issues ranging from algorithmic discrimination to digital replicas and generative AI watermarking. 

This post covers the effects of the recent U.S. election on these areas and what to expect as we enter 2025.  (Click here for our summary of the 2024 election implications on AI-related industrial policy and competition with China.)

The White House

As stated in the Republican Party’s 2024 platform and by the president-elect on the campaign trail, the incoming Trump Administration plans to revoke President Biden’s October 2023 Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (“2023 AI EO”).  The incoming administration also is expected to halt ongoing agency rulemakings related to AI, including a Department of Commerce rulemaking to implement the 2023 AI EO’s dual-use foundation model reporting and red-team testing requirements.  President-elect Trump’s intention to re-nominate Russell Vought as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) suggests that a light-touch approach to AI regulation may be taken across all federal agencies.  As OMB Director in the prior Trump Administration, Vought issued a memo directing federal agencies to “avoid regulatory or non-regulatory actions that needlessly hamper AI innovation and growth.”Continue Reading U.S. AI Policy Expectations in the Trump Administration, GOP Congress, and the States

Technology companies will be in for a bumpy ride in the second Trump Administration.  President-elect Trump has promised to adopt policies that will accelerate the United States’ technological decoupling from China.  However, he will likely take a more hands-off approach to regulating artificial intelligence and reverse several Biden Administration policies related to AI and other emerging technologies.Continue Reading Tech Policy in a Second Trump Administration: AI Promotion and Further Decoupling from China

The Senate Judiciary Committee is once again scheduled to markup the Inventor Diversity for Economic Advancement (IDEA) Act (S.4713/H.R.9455) this Thursday, September 19.

The bipartisan, bicameral IDEA Act was introduced in the Senate by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Senate Judiciary Intellectual Property (IP) Subcommittee Ranking

Continue Reading Senate Judiciary Committee To Consider Inclusive Innovation Legislation

Nearly a year after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) launched the SAFE Innovation Framework for artificial intelligence (AI) with Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Todd Young (R-IN), the bipartisan group has released a 31-page “Roadmap” for AI policy.  The overarching theme of the Roadmap is “harnessing the full potential of AI while minimizing the risks of AI in the near and long term.”

In contrast to Europe’s approach to regulating AI, the Roadmap does not propose or even contemplate a comprehensive AI law.  Rather, it identifies key themes and areas of agreement and directs the relevant congressional committees of jurisdiction to legislate on key issues.  The Roadmap recommendations are informed by the nine AI Insight Forums that the bipartisan group convened over the last year.

  • Supporting U.S. Innovation in AI.  The Roadmap recommends least $32 billion in funding per year for non-defense AI innovation, and the authors call on the Appropriations Committee to “develop emergency appropriations language to fill the gap between current spending levels and the [National Security Commission on AI (NSCAI)]-recommended level,” suggesting the bipartisan group would like to see Congress increase funding for AI as soon as this year. The funding would cover a host of purposes, such as AI R&D, including AI chip design and manufacture; funding the outstanding CHIPS and Science Act accounts that relate to AI; and AI testing and evaluation at NIST.
    • This pillar also endorses the bipartisan Creating Resources for Every American to Experiment with Artificial Intelligence (CREATE AI) Act (S. 2714), which would broaden nonprofit and academic researchers’ access to AI development resources including computing power, datasets, testbeds, and training through a new National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource.  The Roadmap also supports elements of the Future of AI Innovation Act (S. 4178) related to “grand challenge” funding programs, which aim to accelerate AI development through prize competitions and federal investment initiatives.
    • The bipartisan group recommends including funds for the Department of Defense and DARPA to address national security threats and opportunities in the emergency funding measure.  
  • AI and the Workforce.  The Roadmap recommends committees of jurisdiction consider the impact of AI on U.S. workers and ensure that working Americans benefit from technological progress, including through training programs and by studying the impacts of AI on workers.  Importantly, the bipartisan group recommends legislation to “improve the U.S. immigration system for high-skilled STEM workers.”  The Roadmap does not address benefit programs for displaced workers.

Continue Reading Bipartisan Senate AI Roadmap Released

As the 2024 elections approach and the window for Congress to consider bipartisan comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) legislation shrinks, California officials are attempting to guard against a generative AI free-for-all—at least with respect to state government use of the rapidly advancing technology—by becoming the largest state to issue rules for

Continue Reading California establishes working guidance for AI procurement

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senators Todd Young (R-IN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) recently introduced the Future of AI Innovation Act, a legislative package that addresses key bipartisan priorities to promote AI safety, standardization, and access.  The bill would also advance U.S. leadership

Continue Reading New Bipartisan Senate Legislation Aims to Bolster U.S. AI Research and Deployment