Commentari

Commentari is a civic engagement platform designed to bridge the significant gap between the rapid pace of federal rulemaking and the ability of citizens and organizations to respond effectively. Built by Eric Epstein, a 32-year veteran senior policy counsel at the DOJ and ATF, the platform was created by someone who spent decades on the receiving end of public comments. Epstein was the primary author of the Ghost Gun Rule and a recipient of the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award. Commentari addresses a core problem: federal agencies issue rules faster than stakeholders can respond, and form letters are often dismissed as a single, non-substantive comment. The platform solves this by using artificial intelligence to summarize complex rules and pending legislation into plain language. It then helps each user draft a unique, substantive comment in their own voice, ensuring their argument is original and on the record. Submissions are sent directly to Regulations.gov and to Congress through authorized channels. For individuals, Commentari offers free access with three comments per month. For organizations, it provides branded campaigns, nightly rule tracking, citation verification, engagement metrics, and embeddable donation links. The platform tracks over 1,500 active bills and regulations in its real-time database, making it a comprehensive tool for understanding and influencing policy. Commentari’s mission is to make public engagement more accessible and transparent, turning bureaucratic documents into clear, actionable information that empowers democratic participation.

Instant Policy Analysis

Commentari’s AI digests complex statutes and regulations into clear, unbiased summaries. Instead of reading hundreds of pages of legal jargon, users receive a plain-language explanation of what a proposed rule or bill actually means. This feature ensures that anyone, regardless of legal expertise, can quickly understand the implications of a policy and decide on their position.

Smart Drafting

Users can generate professional, effective public comments in seconds. The platform allows you to choose your stance (support, against, or neutral) and your tone (professional, legalistic, witty, or urgent). The AI then crafts a unique, substantive comment that reflects your personal perspective perfectly. No templates are used, ensuring every submission is original and cannot be dismissed as a form letter.

Verified Submission Channels

Commentari handles all the paperwork for you. Comments are submitted directly to the appropriate government agency through Regulations.gov or to Congress through authorized channels. This verified integration ensures that your voice is officially on the record, saving you the time and confusion of navigating complex government submission portals.

Organizational Campaign Tools

For nonprofits, advocacy groups, and associations, Commentari offers powerful tools to coordinate community action. Features include branded campaign pages, real-time member analytics, automated nightly policy tracking, citation verification, and embeddable donation links. This allows organizations to multiply their impact, track engagement, and lead their communities toward meaningful action.

Individual Citizen Advocacy

An individual concerned about a new environmental regulation can use Commentari to quickly understand the rule’s impact. They can then craft a personal, compelling comment expressing their specific concerns, choosing a tone that matches their personality. The platform ensures their unique voice is heard directly by the agency, making their participation in democracy effective and simple.

Nonprofit Campaign Coordination

A nonprofit focused on gun safety can use Commentari to launch a branded campaign. They can track which of their members have submitted comments, provide them with plain-language summaries of relevant rules, and ensure all submissions are unique and substantive. The platform’s analytics allow the organization to measure its collective impact on policy in real time.

Small Business Regulatory Response

A small business owner facing a new Department of Labor rule can use Commentari to decipher the dense legal language. Instead of hiring a lawyer, they can generate a professional comment detailing the rule’s specific financial impact on their operations. This ensures their practical concerns are documented in the official record, influencing the final regulation.

Academic and Research Engagement

Researchers and academics can use Commentari to submit detailed, evidence-based comments on proposed scientific regulations. They can select a legalistic tone to match the expectations of federal rulemaking. The platform’s citation verification helps ensure their references are accurate, strengthening the credibility of their submission and contributing expert knowledge to the public record.

How does Commentari ensure my comment is unique and not just a template?

Commentari does not use any templates. Its AI is designed to generate a completely original comment based on your chosen stance, tone, and the specific policy you are addressing. The platform synthesizes your personal perspective into a unique argument, ensuring your submission cannot be dismissed by agencies as a duplicate or form letter.

How many comments can I submit for free?

Individual users can sign up for free and receive three comments per month. This allows you to engage with the most important policies affecting your life without any upfront cost. For users who need to submit more comments, Commentari offers additional credits and organizational plans.

What is the background of the platform’s creator?

Commentari was built by Eric Epstein, a 32-year veteran senior policy counsel at the DOJ and ATF. He served as the primary author of the Ghost Gun Rule and is a recipient of the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award. His decades of experience on the receiving end of public comments informed the platform’s design, ensuring it meets the standards agencies expect.

How does Commentari track policies and legislation?

Commentari maintains a real-time database of over 1,500 active bills and regulations. The platform continuously scans government sources for new rules and updates to existing ones. For organizations, nightly automated tracking alerts them to any changes in the policies they are monitoring, allowing for timely and coordinated responses.