Congress sluggish on federal AI framework as concerns intensify

Despite watchdog groups warning that few regulatory guardrails exist to meet the threats posed by the rapid development and deployment of AI technology, the 119th Congress has been slow to respond. Though the White House in March proposed a blueprint for lawmakers to craft federal AI-related legislation, no federal framework has advanced out of committee in either chamber. A bipartisan proposal six lawmakers introduced in June as a starting point received chilly responses from leadership in both parties, who indicated they're looking for a more robust solution, rather than approaching the issue piecemeal. So far, one hasn't materialized, and a massive backlog of critical legislative priorities makes it unlikely that will happen in the near future. In the meantime, a few select lawmakers are attempting to engage with AI giants directly, with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urging Anthropic to adopt policies "that align with the principles of human dignity and equality." "AI should not lead to mass unemployment or a society in which millions lose the dignity, purpose, and economic security that come with work," Khanna wrote in a letter made public Friday. "Nor should control over the algorithms and data become concentrated in the hands of only a few companies or individuals. Every person should have a meaningful stake in the prosperity and decision-making power that this technology creates." Khanna recently introduced a Data Center Bill of Rights that aims to protect American communities from having data centers forced upon them. It would also require data centers to limit air and noise pollution, pay for their own electricity, disclose projected water consumption, and be situated away from residential areas, among other things. House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., has also directly written AI giants, demanding answers from SpaceXAI about air and water pollution caused by its data centers in Tennessee and Mississippi. "My Committee staff and I have been examining the rapid proliferation of data centers around the nation, speaking with communities, nonprofits, AI companies, and other stakeholders. While those conversations continue, it is already clear that the unrestricted growth of data centers poses serious risks to the health and well-being of our communities," Pallone wrote in late July. "We need to be putting real, substantial federal guardrails in place to restrict their impacts on monthly power bills, the power grid, and our air and water," he added. "If Congress does not act to put sufficient guardrails in place, we may need a moratorium on data centers." The AI-friendly White House is ardently opposed to a data center moratorium and any regulations on AI that would "harm innovation." President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December pressuring states into setting pro-industry regulations.