Republican opposition to the artificial intelligence provision in the GOP reconciliation bill is growing louder. A group of Republican senators, led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), wrote to Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Wednesday, requesting that the AI provision be removed from the reconciliation package. The letter was also signed by GOP Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Josh Hawley (Mo.).
Blackburn has been quietly pushing back against the measure, expressing concerns that it could override Tennessee’s approach to likeness rights in AI. “Let’s take this out now and not have to deal with it on the floor,” Hawley said. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) also expressed opposition to Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) proposal, which would force states to choose between regulating AI or accepting federal funding for AI infrastructure.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) anticipates that Hawley and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) will co-sponsor an amendment with Blackburn to remove the AI provision when the bill reaches the floor. If they maintain their united front, Hawley, Blackburn, Cramer, and Paul, combined with the 47 Senate Democrats, would have enough votes to defeat the measure.
Other GOP senators remain undecided. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has expressed reservations about restricting states’ ability to regulate AI, while Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) is still “torn” on the issue. Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) also expressed fundamental opposition to restrictions on states, though he hasn’t decided whether to support the AI proposal.
The opposition is not limited to Republican senators. Both red and blue states have been urging lawmakers to reject the AI provision. Hawley spoke with Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who called to push for the provision’s removal, citing concerns that it would hinder efforts to combat child pornography and copyright law violations.
Cruz has pushed back against these concerns, stating that the provision would not impact Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, which prohibits the unauthorized AI reproduction of musicians’ voices. However, outside groups are also weighing in. DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg has called Cruz’s provision “dangerous” in a blog post.
In contrast, the American Edge Project, a coalition allied with Big Tech, plans to launch a seven-figure ad campaign in several states and Washington D.C. to support Cruz’s provision. The National Venture Capital Association has also expressed support for the provision, citing the need for regulatory certainty.
