MATSUI, BEYER, LIEU, JACOBS, MCCLAIN DELANEY INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO REPEAL WHITE HOUSE AI MORATORIUM

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technologyand Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), and April McClain Delaney (D-MD) introduced the Guaranteeing and Upholding Americans' Right to Decide Responsible AI Laws and Standards (GUARDRAILS) Act to repeal President Donald Trump's executive order entitled "Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence," which is designed to establish a moratorium on state-level artificial intelligence policies. This legislation would prohibit the executive order from taking effect to ensure states can enact commonsense safeguards to protect the American public in the face of rapidly evolving AI technologies. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) is introducing companion legislation in the Senate.

President Trump's executive order would kill responsible safety reforms without providing any federal protections or AI governance requirements to replace the state laws it seeks to preempt. This executive order was followed by the White House's National AI Policy Framework, which reinforces the administration's commitment to preempting state-level AI laws without the establishment of clear, enforceable guardrails to address the urgent risks posed by AI systems - in addition to attempting to limit Congressional regulatory action.

"Republicans keep trying to strip states of the ability to enact commonsense AI safeguards-at a time when there are no meaningful federal protections in place," said Congresswoman Matsui. "President Trump's executive order is illegal coercion: it threatens states with costly lawsuits and tries to hold hostage the BEAD dollars Congress provided to connect every American to affordable broadband. As Ranking Member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I won't let the Administration weaponize broadband funding to bully states out of enforcing their AI laws. That's why my colleagues and I are introducing this bill to repeal the order, and I will keep using every tool Congress has to stop this overreach and protect the public."

"In today's lawless, Wild West artificial intelligence environment, states have been leading the charge to implement safeguards addressing serious risks ranging from algorithmic bias to data privacy and consumer protection. But the Trump White House aims to kill state AI laws without setting even minimally acceptable federal guardrails, exposing the American public to the growing risks accompanying completely unchecked artificial intelligence," saidRep. Don Beyer. "Until federal action ensures safe and responsible AI development, deployment, and use, states must retain the ability to implement policies to protect the American public."

"Embracing the amazing possibilities of AI can't come at the cost of leaving Americans vulnerable to its profound risks, which is exactly what President Trump and Republicans are trying to do," saidSen. Brian Schatz. "Preventing states from enacting common-sense regulation that protects people from the very real harms of AI is dangerous. Congress has a responsibility to get this technology right, but states must be allowed to act in the public interest in the meantime."

"Congress has the responsibility to establish a national framework for AI and any attempt by Donald Trump to create laws through executive order is a sham. It is Congress' responsibility to check this overreach of the presidency," saidRep. Ted Lieu. "Pleased to work with my friend, Congressman Beyer, to make clear that Congress has the responsibility to create AI policy at the national level. Americans deserve a set of AI guardrails that promote responsible innovation, and doing that through Congress ensures the true interests of the American people are honored. I welcome any effort by the Administration to work with, and not around, Congress to establish a federal AI framework."

"President Trump's laissez-faire approach to AI regulation and trampling on states' AI rights is incredibly dangerous for Americans' rights and safety," saidRep. Sara Jacobs. "Congress should be proactively creating the rules of the road to protect people while encouraging innovation - instead of taking the back seat to President Trump and his Big Tech donors. But in the meantime, we can't wait, so I'm proud to co-lead the GUARDRAILS Act to repeal Donald Trump's AI moratorium. We can't let Donald Trump's corruption stand in the way of protecting Americans and people around the world, spurring innovation, and fostering public trust."

"I've built my career advocating for digital protections for our most vulnerable Americans, including children and seniors, from cyber threats like fraud, data breaches, deepfakes, and more. Businesses do better-and strive to do better-when commonsense laws are in place to guide their decisions," saidRep. April McClain Delaney. "Trump's Executive Order fails to recognize the important role states play in shaping the policies that drive U.S. competitiveness and innovation. It could not be more clear: the Administration is actively seeking ways to make the internet a more dangerous place."

The legislation is cosponsored in the House by Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Sean Casten (D-IL), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Bill Foster (D-IL), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Laura Friedman (D-CA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), John Larson (D-CT), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Kelly Morrison (D-MN), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Luz Rivas (D-CA), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Mark Takano (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

Text of the Guaranteeing and Upholding Americans' Right to Decide Responsible AI Laws and Standards (GUARDRAILS) Act is available here.

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