Commentari

Commentari is a civic engagement platform designed to close the gap between federal rulemaking and public participation. Federal agencies issue thousands of pages of complex regulations and statutes each year, often faster than stakeholders can read, understand, and respond. Traditional form letters are dismissed as a single comment, diluting individual voices. Commentari solves this problem by turning bureaucratic documents into clear, actionable steps for meaningful civic participation.

Built by Eric Epstein, a 32-year veteran senior policy counsel at the DOJ and ATF, the platform was designed by someone who spent decades on the receiving end of public comments. Epstein is the primary author of the Ghost Gun Rule and a recipient of the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award. This insider perspective ensures Commentari addresses the real challenges of public comment submission under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).

The platform serves two primary audiences. For individual citizens, it offers free tools to understand complex rules, draft unique comments in their own voice, and submit directly to Regulations.gov and Congress through authorized channels. No templates. No duplication. Each comment is substantive and personal. For organizations, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and associations, Commentari provides branded campaign pages, nightly rule tracking, citation verification, real-time engagement metrics, and embeddable donation links. This allows organizations to coordinate their communities toward meaningful action at scale.

With over 1,500 active bills and regulations tracked in a real-time database, Commentari makes democracy better together by amplifying individual voices through technology.

Instant Policy Analysis

Don't read 500 pages of legal jargon. Commentari's AI digests complex statutes and regulations into clear, unbiased summaries you can actually understand. The platform identifies issues agencies must address under the Administrative Procedure Act, ensuring your comment targets the right legal and factual points. This feature saves hours of research time and makes policy accessible to anyone, regardless of their legal background.

Smart Drafting

Write professional, effective public comments in seconds. Choose your stance (support, neutral, or against) and your tone (professional, legalistic, witty, or urgent). The AI then helps you articulate your position in your own voice, generating a unique, substantive comment that reflects your personal perspective. No templates. No duplication. Just your argument, on the record.

Collective Impact Campaigns

For organizations, Commentari enables branded campaign pages that mobilize supporters toward a common goal. Track real-time member analytics to see who has submitted comments, which arguments are most effective, and how your community's collective voice is growing. Automated nightly rule tracking ensures you never miss a critical comment deadline.

Verified Submission Integration

Submissions go directly to Regulations.gov for federal rules and to Congress through authorized channels. Commentari handles the paperwork, verifying that each comment is properly formatted, includes necessary citations, and reaches the correct agency or legislator. This seamless integration removes technical barriers and ensures your voice is officially on the record.

Individual Citizen Commenting on a New Regulation

A concerned citizen learns about a proposed EPA rule affecting local water quality. Using Commentari, they search the database, receive a plain-language summary of the 300-page rule, and identify the key legal issues the EPA must address. They select a "support" stance with an "urgent" tone, and the AI helps them draft a unique comment about their family's health concerns. One click submits it to Regulations.gov. Their individual voice is now part of the official record.

Nonprofit Advocacy Campaign Coordination

A national environmental nonprofit wants to mobilize its 50,000 members to comment on a proposed clean air rule. Using Commentari's organization tools, they create a branded campaign page with embedded donation links. Members receive nightly updates on rule changes, draft personalized comments using the smart drafting tool, and the organization tracks real-time engagement metrics. The campaign generates 15,000 unique, substantive comments instead of 50,000 form letters.

Small Business Owner Responding to OSHA Rules

A small manufacturing business owner needs to respond to a new OSHA safety regulation that could add significant compliance costs. Commentari's instant policy analysis breaks down the 200-page rule into key requirements and identifies the specific sections the agency must consider under the APA. The owner drafts a comment explaining their operational challenges in a professional tone, citing relevant economic impact data. Their unique perspective is submitted directly to the agency.

Advocacy Group Tracking Pending Legislation

A gun safety advocacy group monitors hundreds of bills across state and federal legislatures. Commentari's real-time database tracks over 1,500 active bills and regulations. The group sets up automated alerts for specific keywords and receives nightly summaries of new developments. When a critical bill advances, they use the platform to quickly generate coordinated comments to their representatives through authorized congressional channels, ensuring their community's voice is heard during the legislative process.

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

Commentari does not use templates or provide pre-written text. The AI analyzes the policy, identifies key legal issues under the Administrative Procedure Act, and then helps you articulate your own personal perspective. You choose your stance and tone, and the platform generates a comment in your own voice. Each submission is substantively unique, reflecting your individual arguments, experiences, and values. This approach ensures your comment is given full weight by agency reviewers.

Is Commentari free to use for individuals?

Yes. You can sign up for free and receive 3 free comments per month. This allows individuals to engage with the policies that matter most to them without any financial commitment. For users who need to submit more comments or access advanced features like citation verification and campaign analytics, Commentari offers paid plans for organizations and high-volume users.

How does Commentari handle my personal data and submissions?

Commentari takes your privacy seriously. Submissions are sent directly to Regulations.gov or Congress through authorized channels, and the platform does not store your comments after submission unless you choose to retain them in your account. Your personal information is protected according to our Privacy Policy, and the platform follows strict Responsible Use guidelines for ethical AI deployment. We do not sell or share your data with third parties.

Can organizations track the impact of their campaign in real time?

Yes. Organizations using Commentari gain access to a real-time analytics dashboard that shows member engagement metrics, including who has submitted comments, which arguments are most popular, and the total volume of submissions generated by the campaign. This data helps organizations measure their collective impact, refine their messaging, and demonstrate their influence to stakeholders and donors. Automated nightly rule tracking also ensures no deadlines are missed.