House Energy and Commerce Committee chair doubts AI risk bill will advance this year

The most powerful committee in Congress for tech regulation just hit the brakes on AI oversight. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie, the Kentucky Republican who controls what legislation even gets a hearing, has expressed doubt that the panel will take up a major artificial intelligence risk bill before the midterm elections. The bill that can’t get a hearing The legislation in question is the Great American AI Act, a bipartisan effort that includes provisions on catastrophic-risk disclosure and cybersecurity standards for advanced AI systems. Guthrie first flagged his uncertainty about the bill’s timeline back in late July 2026, when he indicated he wasn’t sure the committee could schedule hearings before voters head to the polls. By September 16, he was still striking the same note, emphasizing that US leadership in AI against China should take priority over potentially innovation-stifling regulation. As of September 2026, the Great American AI Act has not moved to markup, the critical step where committee members actually debate amendments and vote on whether to send a bill to the full House. Where the committee’s attention actually is Recent committee activ...