Bipartisan Group of 40 AGs Urges House to Drop AI Moratorium Proposal

The coalition included 14 Republican AGs in states ranging from Tennessee and Arkansas to Mississippi and Virginia. Democrats from Colorado, California, Connecticut and New York signed. “We acknowledge the uniquely federal and critical national security issues at play and wholeheartedly agree that our nation must be the AI superpower,” they wrote. “This moratorium is the opposite approach, however, neither respectful to states nor responsible public policy.”

South Carolina AG Alan Wilson (R) said in a statement that enforcers want to work with Congress on solutions but “not if it means being told to sit on the sidelines while our people are put at risk.” The moratorium is “federal overreach,” he said.

The participation of Colorado AG Phil Weiser (D) puts him at odds with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), who supports a shorter moratorium to allow Congress to pass a federal AI law superseding state measures. “In an ideal world, Congress would be driving the conversation forward on artificial intelligence, and their failure to lead on AI and other critical technology policy issues -- like data privacy and oversight of social media -- is forcing states to act,” Weiser said in a statement. “Instead of Congress correcting the mistake of abandoning their leadership position on the incredibly important issue of AI, this irresponsible amendment prevents states from protecting consumers from the potential harms and unforeseen consequences of this constantly evolving technology.”

Meanwhile, U.S. House Republicans failed to reach agreement Friday on advancing the chamber’s reconciliation package, which included the House Commerce Committee-passed AI moratorium. The House Budget Committee voted down the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” on a 16-21 vote without allowing an opportunity for amendments. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, was among a handful of key Republicans who said the bill doesn’t go far enough in cutting federal spending. The committee is expected to consider the bill again next week.

New York state Democrats penned a separate letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Thursday, asking Republicans to remove the moratorium language. The group of more than 50 New York Democrats included Sens. Kristen Gonzalez and Alex Bores, who have focused on AI legislation. “This proposed moratorium would not only undermine the work of state and local legislatures to minimize existing harms but would also exacerbate the risks AI development poses by selectively excluding from the moratorium any legislation that makes it easier to remove the guardrails states have already enacted,” they wrote.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said earlier this week that senators are discussing moratorium language.

Congress at some point will need to legislate on AI and the facilitation of interstate commerce, Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., told us earlier in the week. “That is our job,” according to Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, said Young, a member of the 2024 AI working group created by then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, “I think we need federal action, but the question is what action, and I’m not sure that this [moratorium] is a viable solution.”