Republicans scrap deal in 'big, beautiful bill' to lower restrictions on states' AI regulations
A deal that had been reached between Sens Marsha Blackburn R-Tenn and Ted Cruz R-Texas over how states can regulate artificial intelligence has been pulled from President Donald Trump's big beautiful bill The collapsed agreement would have required states seeking to access hundreds of millions of dollars in AI infrastructure funding in the big beautiful bill to refrain from adopting new regulations on the apparatus for five years a compromise down from the original years It also included carveouts to regulate child sexual abuse material unauthorized use of a person s likeness and other deceptive practices Blackburn publicized Monday night that she is withdrawing her encouragement for the agreement TRUMP WARNS OF 'WHOPPING TAX INCREASE' IF SENATE FAILS TO PASS HISTORIC BILL For as long as I ve been in Congress I ve worked alongside federal and state legislators parents seeking to protect their kids online and the creative society in Tennessee to fight back against Big Tech s exploitation by passing decree to govern the virtual space Blackburn commented in a message to Fox News While I appreciate Chairman Cruz s efforts to find acceptable language that allows states to protect their citizens from the abuses of AI the current language is not acceptable to those who need these protections the bulk she continued This provision could allow Big Tech to continue to exploit kids creators and conservatives Blackburn added Until Congress passes federally preemptive measure like the Kids Online Safety Act and an online privacy framework we can t block states from making laws that protect their citizens When sought about Blackburn pulling her patronage for the compromise Cruz narrated Punchbowl News the night is young ELON MUSK SAYS US IS RULED BY 'PORKY PIG PARTY' AS TRUMP DEFENDS HIS VISION AGAINST FORMER ALLY'S CRITICISMBut Blackburn appears to now be co-sponsoring an amendment with Sen Maria Cantwell D-Wash that would absolutely pull the AI moratorium from the bill Cantwell had earlier announced that the since-scrapped deal between Blackburn and Cruz would do nothing to protect kids or consumers It's just another giveaway to tech companies Cantwell noted in a announcement Monday This provision gives AI and social media a brand-new shield against litigation and state regulation This is Section on steroids Blackburn is one of several Republicans who have expressed concerns about the -year ban on state AI regulation Last week Republican governors wrote a joint letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune R-S D and House Speaker Mike Johnson R-La calling for the pause to be scrapped absolutely AI is already deeply entrenched in American industry and society people will be at menace until basic rules ensuring safety and fairness can go into effect the letter reads Over the next decade this novel apparatus will be used throughout our society for harm and good It will significantly alter our industries jobs and means of life and rebuild how we as a people function in profound and fundamental approaches That Congress is burying a provision that will strip the right of any state to regulate this apparatus in any way without a thoughtful citizens debate is the antithesis of what our Founders envisioned it continued Particular House Republicans also stated they do not aid the AI provision including Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene who admitted she located out about it a scant days after voting for Trump's spending bill Full transparency I did not know about this Greene wrote on X I am adamantly OPPOSED to this and it is a violation of state rights and I would have voted NO if I had known this was in there
