WASHINGTON, DC – Today, The Tech Oversight Project vehemently condemned Republican House Leadership’s Big Tech handouts in the Energy and Commerce Committee’s reconciliation package. The bill would create a baffling 10-year moratorium on new state-level AI bills and nullify existing laws on the books, like laws protecting people from AI child sex abuse material (CSAM), discrimination in hiring, election deepfakes, and scams.
“The so-called ‘state’s rights’ party is trying to slip a provision into the reconciliation package that will kneecap states’ ability to protect people and children from proven AI harms and scams. It’s not only hypocritical, it’s a massive handout to Big Tech,” said Sacha Haworth, Executive Director of The Tech Oversight Project. “While Congress has struggled to establish AI safeuards, states are leading the charge in tackling AI’s worst use cases, and it comes as no surprise that Big Tech is trying to stop that effort dead in its tracks. Self-regulation and federal pre-emption is a recipe for disaster, and we urge Members to oppose this measure.”