This morning, in an astounding 99-1 vote, the U.S. Senate voted to strip the provision from the reconciliation bill that would have blocked states from implementing smart AI policies to protect their residents for a decade. This is a huge victory for state leaders across the nation, many of whom have already implemented legislation to protect their communities from the potential harms of AI.
“This was a large bipartisan movement of lawmakers and everyday Americans coming together to prevent the state AI moratorium provision from moving forward. I am pleased that the Senate overwhelmingly voted to strip the provision from the reconciliation bill. This is a win for federalism and for states who are leading on AI policy,” said Brendan Steinhauser, CEO of The Alliance for Secure AI. “The debate does not end here. We will be watching to see if similar legislation is introduced outside of reconciliation, and we will continue to educate policymakers and the public on the potential downsides and risks from AI.”
The vote to strip the provision from the reconciliation bill came after numerous calls from groups of detractors on both sides of the aisle. Bipartisan coalitions of state lawmakers and attorneys general signed letters urging Congress to remove the provision. Members from both parties also came together in opposition to the provision, including Republicans Josh Hawley, Rand Paul, and Marsha Blackburn, and Democrats Edward Markey and Maria Cantwell.
This is merely one important policy debate on Capitol Hill of many more to come. The Alliance will continue to work alongside our colleagues and allies who want to ensure the AI revolution goes well for humanity.
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