A Republican initiative to block states from establishing individual AI regulations has successfully cleared an important procedural step in the Senate. Rewritten by Senator Ted Cruz, the proposal threatens to cut federal broadband funding for states for ten years if they enact such regulations. While the Senate Parliamentarian approved this action under budgetary rules, the level of Republican support remains uncertain, as some voices, including Senator Marsha Blackburn, oppose the moratorium fearing it restricts state rights. Meanwhile, the House previously passed a similar provision, which faced backlash from certain far-right members.
However, it's not clear how many Republicans will support the moratorium. For example, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee recently said, "We do not need a moratorium that would prohibit our states from stepping up and protecting citizens in their state."
House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the provision by saying it had President Donald Trump's support and arguing, "We have to be careful not to have 50 different states regulating AI, because it has national security implications, right?"
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