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White House Pushes Congress for National AI Law to Override State Rules

By  |  March 22, 2026
AI regulation

The White House on Friday rolled out an artificial intelligence policy framework for Congress that calls for a single national approach to regulating the technology, including legislation that would override state-level rules, according to Reuters. The proposal also emphasizes protections for children and steps to prevent communities from bearing steep energy costs linked to the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.

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    The framework reflects the Trump administration’s broader push for one federal standard rather than a patchwork of separate state laws. In December, President Donald Trump said his administration would withhold federal broadband funding from states whose AI regulations were deemed to hinder U.S. leadership in the sector, according to Reuters.

    Republican leaders in the House, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, said the White House plan offers Congress a legislative path that would give technology companies more certainty while also focusing on consumer protections and online safety for children, according to Reuters.

    The administration’s push comes as artificial intelligence continues to fuel major gains across the technology industry. Nvidia has risen to become the world’s most valuable company, while Amazon, Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Microsoft have committed billions of dollars to AI development, per Reuters. The White House said it wants to work with Congress to translate the policy outline into law.

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    Read more: White House Releases Proposed National Policy Framework for AI

    Michael Kratsios, Trump’s science and technology adviser, told The Daily Signal: “We need one national AI framework, not a 50-state patchwork.” He added: “And I think one of the key provisions of it that will make it all work and come together is really focusing on the bipartisan consensus around protecting America’s children.”

    Among the child-safety measures outlined in the framework are proposals to give parents more control over children’s accounts and devices to safeguard privacy, while also encouraging tools aimed at addressing risks such as sexual exploitation and self-harm, according to Reuters.

    The document also urges Congress to simplify permitting rules so energy-intensive data centers can produce electricity on site, a move intended to ease strain on local power systems as AI demand grows, according to Reuters. It further seeks to strengthen the federal government’s capacity to respond to AI-enabled scams and national security threats.

    More broadly, the framework calls for reducing obstacles to innovation, speeding AI adoption across industries and making it easier to build leading AI systems, with the stated aim of preserving U.S. leadership in the technology, according to Reuters. It also includes proposals related to intellectual property, free speech, censorship concerns and workforce development through AI education.

    Still, the four-page plan gives limited attention to national security issues, despite concerns among some Washington lawmakers that advanced AI chip exports to China could bolster Beijing’s military capabilities, according to Reuters. Earlier this year, the Trump administration approved exports to China of Nvidia’s second-most advanced AI chip under certain conditions, and licenses for those shipments have already been issued, per Reuters.

    Source: Reuters