Congress recessed for two months this week without advancing legislation to regulate artificial intelligence, despite escalating warnings from tech leaders and growing bipartisan urgency on Capitol Hill. The lack of action comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., emphasized the need for caution, framing AI regulation as a matter of national security amid competition with China.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., criticized the delay, arguing that artificial intelligence will not pause for congressional recess. In a Senate floor speech, Booker called on President Donald Trump to convene a special session focused on AI, stating, “Congress will soon leave Washington for two months. Artificial intelligence will not recess.”
House lawmakers passed a bill to shield consumers from higher energy costs tied to new data centers but did not address broader AI oversight. On Meet the Press, Johnson acknowledged the importance of AI regulation but cautioned against rushing, saying, “We have to put up some guardrails. But at the same time, we’ve got to make sure that we don’t lose our edge in the global competition on this with China.”
Republicans on Capitol Hill are divided over whether to regulate AI, with some questioning the motives of tech companies pushing for government intervention. Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont., a former tech research scientist, expressed skepticism about the urgency of AI warnings, stating, “I think there's a false sense of urgency... Any one of those people crying gloom and doom has the possibility of stopping it in their own shops, so there's something else going on there.”
Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., a former assistant U.S. attorney, echoed concerns about corporate influence, saying, “I'm very skeptical of people in big business who want to leverage big government to suppress competition.” His remarks followed warnings from AI executives, including Dario Amodei of Anthropic and Sam Altman of OpenAI, who have called for slowed innovation due to risks such as AI models hacking other organizations.
President Trump has dismissed fears of AI posing an existential threat, writing on Truth Social that the technology only needs “a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT.” His stance contrasts with bipartisan calls for regulatory action, including from Booker, who has urged Trump to prioritize AI in the legislative agenda.
The debate over AI regulation has intensified ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington next week, with lawmakers weighing the balance between innovation and oversight. While some Democrats advocate for immediate action, Republicans remain split between those pushing for guardrails and those wary of government overreach.