Big Tech Power Grab Banning State AI Regulations Removed from BBB

The U.S. Senate canceled Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA)’s plan to block states from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for ten years. The plan, part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R. 1), was meant to stop states from making their own AI laws.

Obernolte, chair of the House AI task force, thought it would help us stay ahead of China. But at what cost?

Senator Marsha Blackburn helped kill it and Marjorie Taylor Greene had no intention of supporting the bill if that provision was in the BBB.

“I want to thank MarshaBlackburn, Marjorie Greene wrote on X. “She did an incredible job. She stayed up all night fighting to get the AI moratorium out, and I’m really grateful for her fight. I was engaged with her on the phone all day yesterday and into the early morning hours today. I told the White House I couldn’t vote for it. There’s no way. Everyone needs to understand it comes back to the House and we vote again. There’s no way I can destroy states’ rights. And there’s no way I can let AI have free rein and risk the potential destruction it could bring for ten years without states being able to protect their people, their jobs, their children. This was too big of an issue to get me to a yes.”

Mike Davis of the Article 3 Project wrote, “Thank you, Senator, for protecting kids, conservatives and content creators from Big Tech monopolists.”

Broadcast Music Inc thanked Sen Blackburn and saw it as detrimental to “human-centric” songwriters and composers.

Americans for Responsible Innovation praised the Senator. “Thank you to Sen. Marsha Blackburn for standing up to the 10-year AI law moratorium!! Tech safeguards are critical for kids, artists and creators, consumers, and Americans across the country. Thank you for being a champion for policy that puts people first!”

In the end, the Senate voted it down 99-1. It looked like a Big Tech power grab and that’s how it would have ended up.

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