Anthony Adragna

The tech industry just came within hours of one of its most audacious moves in Congress yet: using the GOP’s megabill to block states from enforcing their laws on artificial intelligence for a decade. The House passed the AI moratorium as part of its megabill, and the Senate almost followed suit.

A group of 17 Republican governors asked Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to remove a 10-year moratorium on enforcing state and local artificial intelligence laws from the GOP’s megabill. In the biggest show of Republican resistance to the provision so far, the governors warned the language would undo existing state efforts to protect their citizens from the harm the technology could cause, and criticized the lack of “thoughtful” publi

The Senate parliamentarian is asking the Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) to rework his 10-year moratorium on enforcing state artificial intelligence laws, according to Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Cruz’s communications director Macarena Martinez said, “Out of respect, we are not going to comment on private consultations with the Parliamentarian,” and added, “The Democrats would be wise not to use this process to wishcast in public.” At issue is the scope of funding that will be conditioned on states complying with a 10-year pause on e

House Republicans tapped Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) to lead the party on the House Commerce Committee, making her the first woman to hold a leadership role at the committee that has sweeping authority over the nation’s health care, technology, environmental and energy policy. Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers beat Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Bob Latta (R-OH) to win the position. Rep McMorris Rodgers will replace retiring Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR).