On Thursday, Demand Progress and 130+ civil society groups sent a letter asking Republican and Democratic congressional leaders to reject legislation that would effectively kill state AI safeguards. The letter warns that the so-called Great American Artificial Intelligence Act, introduced by Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Lori Trahan (D-MA), would impose a federal ban preventing states from regulating AI.
Convened by Demand Progress, the letter is signed by SEIU, Center for Biological Diversity, Common Cause, Consumer Federation of America, Public Citizen, Young People’s Alliance, UltraViolet Action and many more. Demand Progress has also been leading a campaign opposing previous congressional efforts to pass an AI moratorium.
“Obernolte and Trahan are trying to give Big Tech CEOs what they desire most: a federal ban on state laws that could prevent them from unleashing unfettered AI on everyone,” said Demand Progress Education Fund AI Policy Advisor Colin McGlynn. “AI has flirted with children, pushed minors towards suicide, created pornographic deepfakes of countless women and girls, and are being used to make life or death decisions about our health, our jobs and even our military. The Obernolte-Trahan bill would recklessly stop state laws that are the only legal safeguards we have against these threats.”
“Right now, states are the only enforcers in the country doing anything to protect the public from AI harms,” stated the letter. “In the process they’ve not only passed legislation, but carefully worked to not create the patchwork that industry warns of. The exceedingly small number of regulatory bills that have passed are intentionally harmonized, not conflicting. This bill would freeze all of that work for three years over the fear of a patchwork that has not materialized at the very moment the technology is moving fastest and the stakes are climbing.”
This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Newswire Editor.
Newswire Editor | Radio Free (2026-06-18T16:48:52+00:00) 130+ Groups Ask Congress to Reject AI Preemption Bill. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2026/06/18/130-groups-ask-congress-to-reject-ai-preemption-bill/
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