House AI Bill Could Face First Hearing by End of June

A bipartisan effort to establish federal AI standards could reach its first congressional hearing before the end of June, according to Rep. Jay Obernolte, the California Republican leading the initiative.

Obernolte told reporters Monday that he plans to divide his 269-page AI regulation framework into multiple bills, each tailored to specific committee jurisdictions. The first legislation could be introduced within weeks, according to details first reported by Politico.

Breaking up the framework

The strategy reflects the sprawling nature of AI policy, which touches everything from research funding to consumer protection. Obernolte said the bulk of his proposal—including provisions to authorize a Center for AI Standards and Innovation and a National AI Research Resource—would fall under the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

That committee, where Obernolte chairs the Subcommittee on Research and Technology, is planning an AI hearing for late June that could feature his legislation prominently.

Why it matters

The timeline represents one of the most concrete paths yet for federal AI legislation to advance through Congress. While lawmakers have debated AI policy for months, few proposals have progressed to the hearing stage. Obernolte's approach of splitting the framework by committee jurisdiction could help navigate the procedural complexities that have stalled previous efforts.

Navigating political divisions

Obernolte and his Democratic co-lead, Rep. Lori Trahan of Massachusetts, face significant hurdles. They must win support from party leaders and colleagues who remain divided on how aggressively the federal government should regulate AI technology.

The framework would preempt some state AI laws and require leading developers to disclose safety and security risks associated with new models—provisions likely to draw scrutiny from both industry and advocacy groups.

Obernolte said he remains in discussions with the White House and is "cautiously optimistic" about securing administration support. He and Trahan are also recruiting additional co-sponsors beyond the four original backers: Reps. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Scott Franklin (R-Fla.), and Erin Houchin (R-Ind.).

Gauging the response

Obernolte characterized early feedback as "pretty thoughtful," noting that criticism has come from both those who believe the framework goes too far and those who say it doesn't go far enough. He interpreted the balanced pushback as evidence the proposal has found a workable middle ground.

"There's a broad swath of people in the middle of the issue that are respected and thoughtful on the issue that have been praising the framework," he said.

These details were first reported by Politico.