Overview

• The Senate adopted Blackburn’s amendment by a 99-to-1 margin, eliminating the provision that would have banned state AI regulations
• A prior compromise between Senators Ted Cruz and Marsha Blackburn would have cut the moratorium from ten to five years and protected state laws on child online safety and artist rights from funding penalties
• Blackburn withdrew her backing for the narrowed ban late Monday, saying the language could still undermine critical state protections
• Major AI firms, including Google and OpenAI, had lobbied for a federal preemption to avoid a patchwork of state requirements
• The reconciliation bill now returns to the House without any federal moratorium, even as lawmakers continue debating a comprehensive AI regulatory framework