Commentari

Commentari is a civic engagement platform designed to bridge the gap between complex federal regulations and meaningful public participation. Built by Eric Epstein, a 32-year veteran of the Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who served as senior policy counsel and primary author of the Ghost Gun Rule, the platform addresses a fundamental problem in democratic governance: federal agencies issue rules faster than stakeholders can respond, and form letters are often dismissed as a single comment by regulators. Commentari closes that gap by providing individuals and organizations with the tools to understand complex statutes and regulations, craft personalized comments in their own voice, and submit them directly to the appropriate government channels. The platform serves individual citizens who want to make their voices heard on pending legislation and regulations, as well as nonprofits, advocacy groups, and associations that need to coordinate campaigns and track engagement. Its core value proposition is turning bureaucratic documents into clear action, helping users shape the laws that affect their lives without requiring legal expertise or hours of reading dense regulatory text. With a real-time database tracking over 1,500 active bills and regulations, Commentari makes democratic participation accessible, efficient, and impactful.

Instant Policy Analysis

Commentari’s AI digests complex statutes and regulations into clear, unbiased summaries that users can actually understand. Instead of reading 500 pages of legal jargon, users receive concise explanations of what a proposed rule or bill does, why it matters, and what key issues the agency must address under the Administrative Procedure Act. This feature saves hours of research time and ensures users are well-informed before crafting their comments.

Smart Drafting with Personal Voice

Users can generate professional, effective public comments in seconds by selecting their stance and preferred tone, including professional, legalistic, witty, or urgent. The AI helps each supporter draft a unique, substantive comment in their own voice, ensuring no two submissions are identical. This eliminates the problem of form letters being dismissed as duplicate submissions and increases the likelihood that regulators will give each comment serious consideration.

Verified Government Submission

Commentari handles all the paperwork by submitting comments directly to Regulations.gov for federal rules and to Congress through authorized channels for legislation. Users do not need to navigate complex government websites or worry about proper formatting. The platform’s verified integration ensures each comment reaches the correct destination and is officially recorded in the public record.

Organizational Campaign Management

For nonprofits, advocacy groups, and associations, Commentari provides branded campaign pages, real-time member analytics, automated policy tracking, and seamless integration with existing systems. Organizations can coordinate their communities to take meaningful action, track engagement metrics, embed donation links, and monitor nightly rule updates. Citation verification ensures all comments reference accurate legal and regulatory sources.

Individual Citizen Commenting on Federal Regulations

A concerned citizen learns about a proposed environmental regulation that could affect their local water quality. Instead of struggling through hundreds of pages of regulatory text, they use Commentari’s instant policy analysis to understand the rule’s implications. They select their position and preferred tone, draft a personalized comment explaining how the regulation would impact their family and community, and submit it directly to Regulations.gov with one click.

Advocacy Organization Coordinating a Campaign

A national advocacy group wants to mobilize its members to comment on pending legislation affecting healthcare access. Using Commentari’s organizational tools, they create a branded campaign page, share it with their membership, and track real-time engagement metrics. Each member drafts a unique comment reflecting their personal story, avoiding duplicate submissions. The organization monitors nightly rule updates and adjusts their strategy based on emerging policy changes.

Policy Researcher Analyzing Public Sentiment

A policy researcher needs to understand how different communities are responding to a proposed rule on data privacy. They use Commentari to search the platform’s database of active policies, analyze the key issues identified by the AI, and review engagement trends across different demographics. This helps them prepare reports for their organization and identify gaps in public awareness that need to be addressed.

Small Business Owner Responding to Industry Regulations

A small business owner discovers a new Department of Labor rule that could significantly increase their operational costs. With limited time and no legal background, they use Commentari to get a clear summary of the rule’s requirements and deadlines. They draft a comment explaining the specific economic impact on their business and submit it directly to the agency, ensuring their voice is part of the official record.

How does Commentari ensure my comment is unique and not a form letter?

Commentari’s AI helps each user draft a comment in their own voice by prompting them to provide their personal perspective, specific experiences, and unique concerns. The platform does not use templates or generate duplicate text. Each submission is tailored to the individual user’s stance, tone, and personal story, ensuring regulators see a genuine reflection of public opinion rather than mass-produced form letters.

Is Commentari free to use?

Yes, users can sign up for free and receive three free comments per month. This allows individuals to try the platform, understand how it works, and begin participating in the democratic process without any financial commitment. For users who need to submit more comments or access advanced features, additional credits and organizational plans are available.

What types of policies does Commentari track?

Commentari tracks over 1,500 active bills and regulations in its real-time database, covering federal rules from agencies across the executive branch and pending legislation in Congress. The platform continuously updates its database to include newly proposed rules and bills, ensuring users have access to the most current information. Users can search by topic, agency, or keyword to find policies relevant to their interests.

How does Commentari verify that my submission reaches the right government office?

Commentari uses verified integrations with Regulations.gov for federal rulemaking comments and authorized channels for congressional submissions. When a user submits a comment, the platform sends it directly through these official systems, providing confirmation that the comment has been received and recorded. Users do not need to worry about addressing or formatting requirements, as Commentari handles all technical details to ensure proper delivery.