US Senate Overwhelmingly Rejects AI Regulation Moratorium, Empowering State Oversight
US Senate Overwhelmingly Rejects AI Regulation Moratorium, Empowering State Oversight
The U.S. Senate has decisively voted to strip a controversial 10-year moratorium on state artificial intelligence regulations from a major Republican domestic policy bill. The provision, which sought to prevent states from enforcing existing and proposed AI laws—including those addressing deepfakes—for a decade, faced widespread opposition.
The Senate’s near-unanimous 99-1 vote on Monday night delivers a significant victory for advocates of robust AI oversight. Critics had warned that the moratorium, which initially tied compliance to federal internet infrastructure funds, would severely hinder efforts to hold tech companies accountable for potential societal harms, particularly in the absence of comprehensive federal AI legislation.
Senators Ed Markey, Maria Cantwell, and Marsha Blackburn co-sponsored the amendment to remove the provision. Senator Markey emphasized the vote’s message: “This 99-1 vote sent a clear message that Congress will not sell out our kids and local communities in order to pad the pockets of Big Tech billionaires.” The decision ensures that vital state-level protections for millions of Americans against dangerous AI technologies can remain in force. The legislation now returns to the House for further consideration, with Republicans aiming to send the broader agenda bill to President Donald Trump by July 4.
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