GOP Reconciliation Bill Would Recklessly Ban States From Regulating AI for 10 Years

“We cannot allow AI to be the latest chapter in America’s history of exploiting marginalized groups, namely the Black community. The government must invest in an approach rooted in equity that protects the rights of everyone.”

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – In a House Oversight Committee hearing, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) called for regulation and accountability over artificial intelligence (AI) and called for guardrails on AI that ensure technology advances equity rather than injustice. The Congresswoman emphasized that without proper regulation, Black and marginalized communities are at risk of exploitation and loss of healthcare needs, food assistance, disability benefits, and more.

Congresswoman Pressley, whose advocacy comes as Republicans’ reconciliation bill threatens to ban states from regulating AI for ten years, cited Color of Change’s Black Tech Agenda as offering commonsense, equitable solutions to AI regulation.

A transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks, as delivered, is available below, and the full video is available here.

Transcript: In Hearing, Pressley Emphasizes Need to Regulate AI, Prevent Exploitation of Black and Marginalized Communities

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

June 5, 2025

REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you.

Just two weeks ago, Republicans passed a reconciliation bill that would ban all states from regulating AI for 10 years.

Since most did not actually read the bill, they were unaware of that.

So this is a timely hearing, as Republicans are learning the error of their ways in real time, they’re offering the American people up as guinea pigs for corporations to conduct AI experiments with no oversight, no regulation, and no enforcement.

Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter by the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cyber Security, from May 30, 2025 which details the dangers of the Republican moratorium.

Unanimous consent?

REP. McGUIRE: Without objection.

REP. PRESSLEY: Alright now, let’s talk about why regulating AI matters.

Artificial Intelligence reflects the assumptions of those who build it and the priorities of those who use it. And too often, those priorities fail to include the safety, the rights, and economic opportunity of Black communities and other marginalized groups.

In my district, the Massachusetts 7th, we are proud to be a national hub for technology and innovation.

For example, Northeastern University Center for Inclusive Computing is leading the charge to make sure that AI opportunities are accessible to all.

At the same time, we cannot allow AI to be the latest chapter in America’s history of exploiting marginalized groups, namely the Black community. The government must invest in an approach rooted in equity that protects the rights of everyone.

That is why, Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record this report released last year from Color of Change titled “Black Tech Agenda: Advancing Equity and Reimagining Technology.”

REP. McGUIRE: Without objection.

REP. PRESSLEY: Alright, Mr. Schneier – do you know which government employee or agency or board is responsible for overseeing AI deployment across the Executive Branch to prevent violations of civil liberties and civil rights?

MR. SCHNEIER: I don’t believe there is one. So if this is a test I just failed.

REP. PRESSLEY: Well, the truth is, no one knows.

The responsibility of AI civil rights enforcement is not in anyone’s job description, and that has got to change. The United States federal government is deploying AI and it’s impacting our daily lives.

There are more than 2,000 AI use cases across agencies. Right now, there’s nothing stopping the Department of Health and Human Services from using AI systems to help decide who receives Medicaid, who receives food assistance and disability benefits.

If an algorithm flags someone incorrectly, a mother could, quite literally, lose access to her child’s medication, or a family could lose food support.

There’s nothing stopping the Department of Justice from using racially biased algorithms to decide who gets released from prison.

AI shouldn’t be determining who gets care, who stays in prison, or who can feed their kids without any sense of oversight or recourse.

The government’s use of AI cannot be unchecked and unregulated.

If we want the public to trust the federal government, then we must have transparency.

I yield back.

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