House Republicans are leading an effort to prevent states from regulating artificial intelligence for 10 years, as America rushes to win the race for top tech against global competition.
GOP lawmakers are aiming to enact a moratorium on AI regulation as a provision in a tax and spending bill. Republicans view the measure as needed to protect innovation but Democrats fear it will put consumers in harm’s way.
The debate has erupted following the introduction of more than 1,000 AI-focused bills in the last calendar year, largely at the state level, according to an analysis reviewed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
House lawmakers are concerned that the global AI rulebook is already being authored in foreign capitals and the U.S. needs to plant its flag firmly on the side of innovation.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis, Florida Republican, said Wednesday that AI can be weaponized but heavy-handed regulations would turn over AI leadership to China.
“AI is already regulated by longstanding laws that protect consumers,” Mr. Bilirakis said at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. “Because of the great potential of these technologies, Congress must be careful when we impose additional obligations on AI developers and deployers.”
Mr. Bilirakis said U.S. policymakers must closely study Europe’s efforts to regulate AI to ensure American companies are not unfairly targeted.
Democratic lawmakers, however, view a proposed pause on their regulatory power as unfair.
Rep. Kim Schrier, Washington Democrat, said the new momentum to halt states’ AI regulations is the result of Republicans doing the bidding of Big Tech companies.
“The Republicans’ giant gift to Big Tech would block enforcement of laws on the books right now that are protecting Americans from real-world harms,” Ms. Schrier said at the committee hearing.
Rep. Jay Obernolte, California Republican, said any expectation of harm to consumers is incorrect.
“It’s been asserted that this circumvents consumer protection laws — to anyone who thinks that I would say RTFB: read the freaking bill,” Mr. Obernolte said. “Because we specifically put language in there that says that as long as your law does not specifically target AI you can continue [and] enforce it, which includes all of the state consumer protection laws.”
R Street Institute senior fellow Adam Thierer told the committee that the “European-ification of American technology policy is now a serious threat” as some counts believe more than 1,000 AI-focused bills have already been introduced in 2025 across America.
“Even if one sympathizes with some of these bills, put yourself in the shoes of an entrepreneur who is sitting in a dorm room or garage right now pondering how to build the next great algorithmic application — only to face hundreds of different regulatory definitions, compliance requirements, bureaucratic hurdles, and liability threats,” Mr. Thierer said in written testimony. “Costly, contradictory regulation is a sure-fire recipe for destroying a technological revolution and decimating ’Little Tech’ innovators.”
Mr. Thierer said the consequences of new AI regulation would be slowing economic growth, diminished health and wellbeing outcomes, lost learning and communications opportunities, and weakening of American national security.
“We must not import the European policy model to America,” he said.
