US Senate Overwhelmingly Rejects 10-Year Moratorium on State AI Regulations

In a decisive move, the US Senate has voted 99-1 to remove a controversial 10-year moratorium on the enforcement of state-level artificial intelligence (AI) regulations from a major Republican domestic policy bill. This provision, if passed, would have barred states from implementing or enforcing many AI-related laws—including those addressing sensitive issues like sexually explicit content and political deepfakes—for the next decade.

Earlier this month, Senate Commerce Committee Republicans had pushed to tie adherence to this moratorium to the allocation of federal funds for internet infrastructure projects. While some technology leaders favored a unified federal AI law to avoid a fragmented regulatory landscape, many experts, advocacy groups, state officials, and lawmakers expressed serious concerns. Critics argued that the moratorium would severely limit states’ ability to hold powerful tech companies accountable for AI’s societal risks, especially given the absence of comprehensive federal AI legislation.

The amendment to strike the moratorium was co-sponsored by Senators Ed Markey, Maria Cantwell, and Marsha Blackburn and passed with near unanimity. Senator Markey emphasized that the vote sends a strong message that Congress will prioritize protecting communities over the interests of major tech corporations. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to develop responsible guardrails for AI,” he added.

The vote took place during an intense Senate “vote-a-rama,” a marathon session dedicated to voting on multiple amendments to the agenda bill. The Republicans had aimed to finalize the bill ahead of the July 4 deadline to send it to President Donald Trump’s desk, although it still requires approval from the House of Representatives.

In the House, some lawmakers had threatened to oppose the bill if the AI moratorium provision was not removed. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly stated she would vote “no” if the moratorium remained.

Advocacy groups and state regulators praised the Senate’s decision. Ilana Beller, Democracy Organizing Manager at Public Citizen, a progressive consumer advocacy group, called the moratorium’s defeat “a victory for vital protections that safeguard millions of Americans from the most dangerous impacts of AI technology.”

The Senate’s overwhelming rejection of the moratorium marks a significant step toward maintaining state-level authority in regulating artificial intelligence, ensuring that AI governance remains responsive and protective at multiple levels of government.